•NRLF 


LIB  R  AR  Y 

OF   THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

GIFT    OK 


Receive*..  OCT  27  1892      ,  189     . 

ccessions  No.  l$Q2-^~~  Shelf  No. 


T  H  K 


OAK-  O  P  E  X  I  X  G  S ; 


THE   BEJv HUNTER. 


BY     J  .     F  E  N I M O  R  E     COOPER 


There  have  been  tears  from  holier  eyes  than  mine 

Four'd  o'er  thee,  Zioti!    yea,  the  Son  of  Man 

This  thy  devoted  hour  foresaw,  and  wept.- — Mil-man. 


COMPLET9  7^-"  $&**    v <}  L  T J/ £. 


NEW     EDITION. 


NEW    YORK: 
S  T  K  I  N  G  i:  K       AND      T  O  W  N  SEND. 

1857. 


OAK   OPENINGS. 


Entered,  according  to  the  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1848,  by 
J.  FENIMORE  COOPER, 

in  the  clerk  a  office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Northern  District 
of  New  York. 


PEEFACE. 


IT  ought  to  be  matter  of  surprise  how  men  live  in 
the  midst  of  marvels,  without  taking  heed  of  their 
existence.  The  slightest  derangement  of  their  ac 
customed  walks  in  political  or  social  life  shall  excite 
all  their  wonder,  and  furnish  themes  for  their  dis 
cussions,  for  months ;  while  the  prodigies  that  come 
from  above  are  presented  daily  to  their  eyes,  and  are 
received  without  surprise,  as  things  of  course.  In  a 
certain  sense,  this  may  be  well  enough,  inasmuch 
as  all  which  comes  directly  from  the  hands  of  the 
Creator  may  be  said  so  far  to  exceed  the  power  of 
human  comprehension,  as  to  be  beyond  comment; 
but  the  truth  would  show  us  that  the  cause  of  this 
neglect  is  rather  a  propensity  to  dwell  on  such  in 
terests  as  those  over  which  we  have  a  fancied  control, 
than  on  those  which  confessedly  transcend  our  un 
derstanding.  Thus  is  it  ever  with  men.  The  won 
ders  of  creation  meet  them  at  every  turn,  without 
awakening  reflection,  while  their  minds  labour  on 
subjects  that  are  not  only  ephemeral  and  illusory, 

(iii) 


IV  PREFACE. 

but  which  never  attain  an  elevation  higher  than  that 
the  most  sordid  interests  can  bestow. 

For  ourselves,  we  firmly  believe  that  the  finger  of 
Providence  is  pointing  the  way  to  all  races,  and 
colours,  and  nations,  along  the  path  that  is  to  lead 
the  east  and  the  west  alike,  to  the  great  goal  of 
human  wants.  Demons  infest  that  path,  and  nume 
rous  and  unhappy  are  the  wanderings  of  millions 
who  stray  from  its  course;  sometimes  in  reluctance 
to  proceed ;  sometimes  in  an  indiscreet  haste  to  move 
faster  than  their  fellows,  and  always  in  a  forgetful- 
ness  of  the  great  rules  of  conduct  that  have  been 
handed  down  from  above.  Nevertheless,  the  main 
course  is  onward;  and  the  day,  in  the  sense  of  time, 
is  not  distant,  when  the  whole  earth  is  to  be  filled 
with  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord,  "as  the  waters 
cover  the  sea." 

One  of  the  great  stumbling-blocks  with  a  large 
class  of  well-meaning,  but  narrow-judging  moralists, 
are  the  seeming  wrongs  that  are  permitted  by  Pro 
vidence,  in  its  control  of  human  events.  Such  per 
sons  take  a  one-sided  view  of  things,  and  reduce  all 
principles  to  the  level  of  their  own  understandings. 
If  we  could  comprehend  the  relations  which  the 
Deity  bears  to  us,  as  well  as  we  can  comprehend  the 
relations  w'e  bear  to  Him,  there  might  be  a  little 
seeming  reason  in  these  doubts;  but  when  one  of  the 
parties  in  this  mighty  scheme  of  action  is  a  profound 
mystery  to  the  other,  it  is  worse  than  idle,  it  is  pro 
fane,  to  attempt  to  explain  those  things  which  our 
minds  are  not  yet  sufficiently  cleared  from  the  dross 
of  earth  to  understand.  Look  at  Italy,  at  this  very 


PREFACE.  V 

moment.  The  darkness  and  depression  from  which 
that  glorious  peninsula  is  about  to  emerge,  are  the 
fruits  of  long-continued  dissensions  and  an  iron  des 
potism,  which  is  at  length  broken  by  the  impulses 
left  behind  him  by  a  ruthless  conqueror,  who,  under 
the  appearance  and  with  the  phrases  of  Liberty, 
contended  only  for  himself.  A  more  concentrated 
egotism  than  that  of  Napoleon  probably  never  ex 
isted;  yet,  has  it  left  behind  it  seeds  of  personal 
.ights  that  have  sprung  up  by  the  way-side,  and 
which  are  likely  to  take  root  with  a  force  that  will 
bid  defiance  to  eradication.  Thus  is  it,  ever,  with 
the  progress  of  society.  Good  appears  to  arise  out 
of  evil,  and  the  inscrutable  ways  of  Providence  are 
vindicated  by  general  results,  rather  than  by  in 
stances  of  particular  care.  We  leave  the  application 
of  these  remarks  to  the  intelligence  of  such  of  our 
readers  as  may  have  patience  to  peruse  the  work  that 
will  be  found  in  the  succeeding  pages. 

We  have  a  few  words  of  explanation  to  say,  in 
connection  with  the  machinery  of  our  tale.  In  the 
first  place,  we  would  remark,  that  the  spelling  of 
1  burr-oak,"  as  given  in  this  book,  is  less  our  own 
than  an  office  spelling.  We  think  it  should  be  "  bur- 
oak,'*  and  this  for  the  simple  reason,  that  the  name  is 
derived  from  the  fact  that  the  acorn  borne  by  this 
tree  is  partially  covered  with  a  bur.  Old  Sam  John- 
SOH,  however,  says  that  "  burr"  means  the  lobe,  or 
lap  of  the  ear;  and  those  who  can  fancy  such  a  re 
semblance  between  this  and  the  covering  of  our 
acorn,  are  at  liberty  to  use  the  two  final  consonants. 
Having  commenced  stereotyping  with  this  supernu- 


VI  PREFACE. 

merary,  for  the  sake  of  uniformity  that  mode  of 
spelling,  wrong  as  we  think  it,  has  been  continued 
throughout  the  book. 

There  is  nothing  imaginary  in  the  fertility  of  the 
west.  Personal  observation  has  satisfied  us  that  it 
much  surpasses  anything  that  exists  in  the  Atlantic 
states,  unless  in  exceptions,  through  the  agency  of 
great  care  and  high  manuring,  or  in  instances  of 
peculiar  natural  -soil.  In  these  times,  men  almost 
fly.  We  have  passed  over  a  thousand  miles  of  ter 
ritory  within  the  last  few  days,  and  have  brought  the 
pictures  at  the  two  extremes  of  this  journey  in  close 
proximity  in  our  mind's  eye.  Time  may  lessen  that 
wonderful  fertility,  and  bring  the  whole  country  more 
on  a  level ;  but  there'  it  now  is,  a  glorious  gift  from 
God,  which  it  is  devoutly  to  be  wished  may  be  ac 
cepted  with  due  gratitude,  and  with  a  constant  re 
collection  of  His  unwavering  rules  of  right  and 
wrong,  by  those  who  have  been  selected  to  enjoy  it. 


June,  1848 


THE  OAK  OPENINGS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

How  doth  the  little  busy  bee 
Improve  each  shining  hour, 
And  gather  honey  all  the  day, 
From  every  opening  flower. 

Watts'  Hymns  for  Children. 

WE  have  heard  of  those  who  fancied  that  they  beheld  a 
signal  instance  of  the  hand  of  the  Creator  in  the  celebrated 
cataract  of  Niagara.  Such  instances  of  the  power  of  sen 
sible  and  near  objects  to  influence  certain  minds,  only 
prove  how  much  easier  it  is  to  impress  the  imaginations 
of  the  dull  with  images  that  are  novel,  than  with  those  that 
are  less  apparent,  though  of  infinitely  greater  magnitude. 
Thus,  it  would  seem  to  be  strange,  indeed,  that  any  human 
being  should  find  more  to  wonder  at  in  any  one  of  the  phe 
nomena  of  the  earth,  than  in  the  earth  itself;  or,  should  spe 
cially  stand  astonished  at  the  might  of  Him  who  created  the 
world,  when  each  night  brings  into  view  a  firmament  studded 
with  other  worlds,  each  equally  the  work  of  His  hands ! 

Nevertheless,  there  is  (at  bottom)  a  motive  for  adoration, 
in  the  study  of  the  lowest  fruits  of  the  wisdom  and  power 
of  Gocf!"  The  leaf  is  as  much  beyond  our  comprehension 
of  remote  causes,  as  much  a  subject  of  intelligent  admira 
tion,  as  the  tree  which  bears  it :  the  single  tree  confounds 
our  knowledge  and  researches  the  same  as  the  entire  forest; 
and,  though  a  variety  that  appears  to  be  endless  pervades 
the  world,  the  same  admirable  adaptation  of  means  to 
ends,  the  same  bountiful  forethought,  and  the  same  bene- 

(9) 


10  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

volent  wisdom  are  to  be  found  in  the  acorn,  as  in  the 
gnarled  branch  on  which  it  grew. 

The  American  forest  has  so  often  been  described,  as  to 
cause  one  to  hesitate  about  reviving  scenes  that  might  pos 
sibly  pall,  and  in  retouching  pictures  that  have  been  so  fre 
quently  painted  as  to  be  familiar  to  every  mind.  But  God 
created  the  woods,  and  the  themes  bestowed  by  his  bounty 
are  inexhaustible.  Even  the  ocean,  with  its  boundless 
waste  of  water,  has  been  found  to  be  rich  in  its  various 
beauties  and  marvels ;  and  he  who  shall  bury  himself  with 
us,  once  more,  in  the  virgin  forests  of  this  wide-spread 
land,  may  possibly  discover  new  subjects  of  admiration,  new 
causes  to  adore  the  being  that  has  brought  all  into  exist 
ence,  from  the  universe  to  its  most  minute  particle. 

The  precise  period  of  our  legend  was  in  the  year  1812, 
and  the  season  of  the  year  the  pleasant  month  of  July, 
which  had  now  drawn  near  to  its  close.  The  sun  was  al 
ready  approaching  the  western  limits  of  a  wooded  view, 
when  the  actors  in  its  opening  scene  must  appear  on  a 
stage  that  is  worthy  of  a  more  particular  description. 

The  region  was,  in  one  sense,  wild,  though  it  offered  a 
picture  that  was  not  without  some  of  the  strongest  and  most 
pleasing  features  of  civilization.  The  country  was  what 
is  termed  "  rolling,"  from  some  fancied  resemblance  to  the 
surface  of  the  ocean,  when  it  is  just  undulating  with  a 
long  «'  ground-swell."  Although  wooded,  it  was  not  as  the 
American  forest  is  wont  to  grow,  with  tall  straight  trees 
towering  towards  the  light,  but  with  intervals  between  the 
low  oaks  that  were  scattered  profusely  over  the  view,  and 
with  much  of  that  air  of  negligence  that  one  is  apt  to  see 
in  grounds,  where  art  is  made  to  assume  the  character  of 
nature.  The  trees,  with  very  few  exceptions,  were  what 
is  called  the  "burr  oak,"  a  small  variety  of  a  ver^ exten 
sive  genus;  and  the  spaces  between  them,  always  irregular, 
and  often  of  singular  beauty,  have  obtained  the  name  of 
"openings;"  the  two  terms  combined  giving  their  appella 
tion  to  this  particular  species  of  native  forest,  under  the 
name  of"  Oak  Openings." 

These  woods,  so  peculiar  to  certain  districts  of  country, 
are  not  altogether  without  some  variety,  though  possessing 
a  general  character  of  sameness.  The  trees  were  of  very 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  11 

uniform  size,  being  little  taller  than  pear  trees,  which  they 
resemble  a  good  deal  in  form ;  and  having  trunks  that  rarely 
attain  two  feet  in  diameter.  The  variety  is  produced  by 
their  distribution.  In  places  they  stand  with  a  regularity 
resembling  that  of  an  orchard ;  then,  again,  they  are  more 
scattered  and  less  formal,  while  wide  breadths  of  the  land 
are  occasionally  seen  in  which  they  stand  in  copses,  with 
vacant  spaces,  that  bear  no  small  affinity  to  artificial  lawns, 
being  covered  with  verdure.  The  grasses  are  supposed  to 
be  owing  to  the  fires  lighted  periodically  by  the  Indians  in 
order  to  clear  their  hunting-grounds. 

Towards  one  of  these  grassy  glades,  which  was  spread 
on  an  almost  imperceptible  acclivity,  and  which  might  have 
contained  some  fifty  or  sixty  acres  of  land,  the  reader  is 
now  requested  to  turn  his  eyes.  Far  in  the  wilderness  as 
was  the  spot,  four  men  were  there,  and  two  of  them  had 
even  some  of  the  appliances  of  civilization  about  them. 
The  woods  around  were  the  then  unpeopled  forest  of  Mi 
chigan,  and  the  small  winding  reach  of  placid  water  that 
was  just  visible  in  the  distance,  was  an  elbow  of  the  Kala- 
mazoo,  a  beautiful  little  river  that  flows  westward,  empty 
ing  its  tribute  into  the  vast  expanse  of  Lake  Michigan. 
Now,  this  river  has  already  become  known,  by  its  villages 
and  farms,  and  railroads  and  mills;  but  then,  not  a  dwell 
ing  of  more  pretension  than  the  wigwam  of  the  Indian,  or 
an  occasional  shanty  of  some  white  adventurer,  had  ever 
been  seen  on  its  banks.  In  that  day,  the  whole  of  that  fine 
peninsula,  with  the  exception  of  a  narrow  belt  of  country 
along  the  Detroit  river,  which  was  settled  by  the  French  as 
far  back  as  near  the  close  of  the  seventeenth  century,  was 
literally  a  wilderness.  If  a  white  man  found  his  way  into 
it,  it  was  as  an  Indian  trader,  a  hunter,  or  an  adventurer  in 
some  other  of  the  pursuits  connected  with  border  life  and 
the  habits  of  the  savages. 

Of  this  last  character  were  two  of  the  men  on  the  open 
glade  just  mentioned,  while  their  companions  were  of  the 
race  of  the  aborigines.  What  is  much  more  remarkable, 
the  four  were  absolutely  strangers  to  each  other's  faces, 
having  met  for  the  first  time  in  their  lives,  only  an  hour 
previously  to  the  commencement  of  our  tale.  By  saying 
that  they  were  strangers  to  each  other,  we  do  not  mean  that 


12  THEOAKOPEN1NGS. 

the  white  men  were  acquaintances,  and  the  Indians  strang 
ers,  but  that  neither  of  the  four  had  ever  seen  either  of  the 
party  until  they  met  on  that  grassy  glade,  though  fame  had 
made  them  somewhat  acquainted  through  their  reputations. 
At  the  moment  when  we  desire  to  present  this  group  to  the 
imagination  of  the  reader,  three  of  its  number  were  grave 
and  silent  observers  of  the  movements  of  the  fourth.  The 
fourth  individual  was  of  middle  size,  young,  active,  exceed 
ingly  well  formed,  and  with  a  certain  open  and  frank  ex 
pression  of  countenance,  that  rendered  him  at  least  well- 
looking,  though  slightly  marked  with  the  small-pox.  His 
veal  name  was  Benjamin  Boden,  though  he  was  extensively 
known  throughout  the  north-western  territories  by  the  so 
briquet  of  Ben  Buzz — extensively  as  to  distances,  if  not 
as  to  people.  By  the  voyageurs,  and  other  French  of  that 
region,  he  was  almost  universally  styled  le  Bourdon,  or  the 
"  Drone;"  not,  however,  from  his  idleness  or  inactivity,  but 
from  the  circumstance  that  he  was  notorious  for  laying  his 
hands  on  the  products  of  labour  that  proceeded  from  others. 
In  a  word,  Ben  Boden  was  a  "  bee-hunter,"  arid  as  he  was 
one  of  the  first  to  exercise  his  craft  in  that  portion  of  the 
country,  so  was  he  infinitely  the  most  skilful  and  pros 
perous.  The  honey  of  le  Bourdon  was  not  only  thought 
to  be  purer  and  of  higher  flavour  than  that  of  any  other 
trader  in  the  article,  but  it  was  much  the  most  abundant. 
There  were  a  score  of  respectable  families  on  the  two 
banks  of  the  Detroit,  who  never  purchased  of  any  one  else, 
but  who  patiently  waited  for  the  arrival  of  the  capacious 
bark  canoe  of  Buzz,  in  the  autumn,  to  lay  in  their  supplies 
of  this  savoury  nutriment  for  the  approaching  winter.  The 
whole  family  of  griddle  cakes,  including  those  of  buckwheat, 
Indian,  rice  and  wheaten  flour,  were  more  or  less  depen 
dent  on  the  safe  arrival  of  le  Bourdon,  for  their  popularity 
and  welcome.  Honey  was  eaten  with  all ;  and  wild  honey 
"haii  a  reputation,  rightfully  or  not  obtained,  that  even  ren 
dered  it  more  welcome  than  that  which  was  formed  by  the 
labour  and  art  of  the  domesticated  bee. 

The  dress  of  le  Bourdon  was  well  adapted  to  his  pur 
suits  and  life.  He  wore  a  hunting-shirt  and  trowsers,  made 
of  thin  stuff,  which  was  dyed  green,  and  trimmed  with 
yellow  fringe.  This  was  the  ordinary  forest  attire  of  the 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  13 

American  rifleman ;  being  of  a  character,  as  it  was  thought, 
to  conceal  the  person  in  the  woods,  by  blending  its  hues 
with  those  of  the  forest.  On  his  head  Ben  wore  a  skin 
cap,  somewhat  smartly  made,  but  without  the  fur ;  the 
weather  being  warm.  His  moccasins  were  a  good  deal 
wrought,  but  seemed  to  be  fading  under  the  exposure  of 
many  marches.  His  arms  were  excellent;  but  all  his  mar 
tial  accoutrements,  even  to  a  keen  long-bladed  knife,  were 
suspended  from  the  rammer  of  his  rifle ;  the  weapon  itself 
being  allowed  to  lean,  in  careless  confidence,  against  the 
trunk  of  the  nearest  oak,  as  if  their  master  felt  there  was 
no  immediate  use  for  them. 

Not  so  with  the  other  three.  Not  only  was  each  man 
well  armed,  but  each  man  kept  his  trusty  rifle  hugged  to 
his  person,  in  a  sort  of  jealous  watchfulness ;  while  the 
other  white  man,  from  time  to  time,  secretly,  but  with  great 
minuteness,  examined  the  flint  and  priming  of  his  own 
piece.  This  second  pale-face  was  a  very  different  person 
from  him  just  described.  He  was  still  young,  tall,  sinewy, 
gaunt,  yet  springy  and  strong,  stooping  and  round-shoul 
dered,  with  a  face  that  carried  a  very  decided  top-light  in 
it,  like  that  of  the  notorious  Bardolph.  In  short,  whiskey 
had  dyed  the  countenance  of  Gershom  Waring  with  a  tell 
tale  hue,  that  did  not  less  infallibly  betray  his  destination, 
than  his  speech  denoted  his  origin,  which  was  clearly  from 
one  of  the  states  of  New  England.  But  Gershom  had 
been  so  long  at  the  North-West  as  to  have  lost  many  of 
his  peculiar  habits  and  opinions,  and  to  have  obtained  sub 
stitutes. 

Of  the  Indians,  one,  an  elderly,  wary,  experienced  war 
rior,  was  a  Pottawattamie,  named  Elksfoot,  who  was  well 
known  at  all  the  trading-houses  and  "  garrisons"  of  the 
North-Western  Territory,  including  Michigan  as  low  down 
as  Detroit  itself.  The  other  red  man  was  a  young  Chip- 
pewa,  or  O-jeb-way,  as  the  civilized  natives  of  that  nation 
now  tell  us  the  word  should  be  spelled.  His  ordinary  ap 
pellation  among  his  own  people  was  that  of  Pigeonswing; 
a  name  obtained  from  the  rapidity  and  length  of  his  flights. 
This  young  man,  who  was  scarcely  turned  of  five-and« 
twenty,  had  already  obtained  a  high  reputation  among  the 
nume-ous  *ribes  of  his  nation,  as  a  messenger,  or  "  runner." 
2 


14  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

Accident  had  brought  these  four  persons,  each  and  all 
strangers  to  one  another,  in  communication  in  the  glade 
of  the  Oak  Openings,  which  has  already  been  mentioned, 
within  half  an  hour  of  the  scene  we  are  about  to  present 
to  the  reader.  Although  the  rencontre  had  been  accom 
panied  by  the  usual  precautions  of  those  who  meet  in  a 
wilderness,  it  had  been  friendly  so  far;  a  circumstance  that 
was  hi  some  measure  owing  to  the  interest  they  all  took  in 
the  occupation  of  the  bee-hunter.  The  three  others,  indeed, 
had  come  in  on  different  trails,  and  surprised  le  Bourdon 
in  the  midst  of  one  of  the  most  exciting  exhibitions  of  his 
art — an  exhibition  that  awoke  so  much  and  so  common  an 
interest  in  the  spectators,  as  at  once  to  place  its  continu 
ance  for  the  moment  above  all  other  considerations.  After 
brief  salutations,  and  wary  examinations  of  the  spot  and 
its  tenants,  each  individual  had,  in  succession,  given  his 
grave  attention  to  what  was  going  on,  and  all  had  united  in 
begging  Ben  Buzz,  to  pursue  his  occupation,  without  re 
gard  to  his  visiters.  The  conversation  that  took  place  was 
partly  in  English,  and  partly  in  one  of  the  Indian  dialects, 
which  luckily  all  the  parties  appeared  to  understand.  As 
a  matter  of  course,  with  a  sole  view  to  oblige  the  reader, 
we  shall  render  what  was  said,  freely,  into  the  vernacular. 

"  Let 's  see,  let 's  see,  stranger,"  cried  Gershom,  em 
phasizing  the  syllable  we  have  put  in  italics,  as  if  especially 
to  betray  his  origin,  "  what  you  can  do  with  your  tools. 
I  've  heer'n  tell  of  such  doin's,  but  never  see'd  a  bee  lined 
in  all  my  life,  and  have  a  desp'rate  fancy  for  larnin'  of  all 
sorts,  from  'rithmetic  to  preachin'." 

"  That  comes  from  your  puritan  blood,"  answered  It 
Bourdon,  with  a  quiet  smile,  using  surprisingly  pure  Eng 
lish  for  one  in  his  class  of  life.  "  They  tell  me  you  puri 
tans  preach  by  instinct." 

"  I  don't  know  how  that  is,"  answered  Gershom, 
"  though  I  can  turn  my  hand  to  anything.  I  heer'n  tell, 
across  at  Bob  Ruly  (Bois  Brutt*}  of  sich  doin's,  and 

*  This  unfortunate  name,  which  it  may  be  necessary  to  tell  a 
portion  of  our  readers  means  "Burnt  Wood,"  seems  condemned  to 
all  sorts  of  abuses  among  the  linguists  of  the  west.  Among  other 
pronunciations  is  that  of  "Bob  Ruly;"  while  an  island  near  De 
troit,  the  proper  name  of  which  is  "  Bois  Blanc,"  is  familiarly 
known  to  the  lake  mariners  by  the  name  of  "  Bobolo." 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  15 

would  give  a  week's  keep  at  Whiskey  Centre,  to  know 
how  t'was  done." 

•'  Whiskey  Centre"  was  a  sobriquet  bestowed  by  the 
fresh-water  sailors  of  that  region,  and  the  few  other  white 
adventurers  of  Saxon  origin  who  found  their  way  into  that 
trackless  region,  firstly  on  Gershom  himself,  and  secondly 
on  his  residence.  These  names  were  obtained  from  the 
intensity  of  their  respective  characters,  in  favour  of  the  be 
verage  named.  L'eau  de  mort,  was  the  place  termed  by 
the  voyageurs,  in  a  sort  of  pleasant  travesty  on  the  eau  de 
vie  of  their  distant,  but  still  well-remembered  manufactures 
on  the  banks  of  the  Garonne.  Ben  Boden,  however,  paid 
but  little  attention  to  the  drawling  remarks  of  Gershom 
Waring.  This  was  not  the  first  time  he  had  heard  of 
"  Whiskey  Centre,"  though  the  first  time  he  had  ever  seen 
the  man  himself.  His  attention  was  on  his  own  trade,  or 
present  occupation ;  and  when  it  wandered  at  all,  it  was 
principally  bestowed  on  the  Indians ;  more  especially  on 
the  runner.  Of  Elk's  foot,  or  Elksfoot,  as  we  prefer  to 
spell  it,  he  had  some  knowledge  by  means  of  rumour ;  and 
the  little  he  knew  rendered  him  somewhat  more  indifferent 
to  his  proceedings,  than  he  felt  towards  those  of  the  Pigeons- 
wing.  Of  this  young  red-skin  he  had  never  heard ;  and, 
while  he  managed  to  suppress  all  exhibition  of  the  feeling 
a  lively  curiosity  to  learn  the  Chippewa's  business  was 
uppermost  in  his  mind.  As  for  Gershom,  he  had  taken  hi. 
measure  at  a  glance,  and  had  instantly  set  him  down  to  be, 
what  in  truth  he  was,  a  wandering,  drinking,  reckless  ad 
venturer,  who  had  a  multitude  of  vices  and  bad  qualities, 
mixed  up  with  a  few  that,  if  not  absolutely  redeeming, 
served  to  diminish  the  disgust  in  which  he  might  otherwise 
have  been  held  by  all  decent  people.  In  the  meanwhile, 
the  bee-hunting,  in  which  all  the  spectators  took  so  much 
interest,  went  on.  As  this  is  a  process  with  which  most 
of  our  readers  are  probably  unacquainted,  it  may  be  ne 
cessary  to  explain  the  modus  operandi,  as  well  as  the  ap 
pliances  used. 

The  tools  of  Ben  Buzz,  as  Gershom  had  termed  these 
implements  of  his  trade,  were  neither  very  numerous  nor 
very  complex.  They  were  all  contained  in  a  small  covered 
wooden  pail  like  those  that  artisans  and  labourers  are 


16  THE     O  A.  K     OPENINGS. 

accustomed  to  carry  for  the  purposes  of  conveying  then 
food  from  place  to  place.  Uncovering  this,  le  Bourdon 
had  brought  his  implements  to  view,  previously  to  the  mo 
ment  when  he  was  first  seen  by  the  reader.  There  was  a 
small  covered  cup  of  tin;  a  wooden  box;  a  sort  of  plate, 
or  platter,  made  also  of  wood;  and  a  common  tumbler,  of 
a  very  inferior,  greenish  glass.  In  the  year  1812,  there 
was  not  a  pane,  nor  a  vessel,  of  clear,  transparent  glass, 
made  in  all  America!  Now,  some  of  the  most  beautiful 
manufactures  of  that  sort,  known  to  civilization,  are  abun 
dantly  produced  among  us,  in  common  with  a  thousand 
other  articles  that  are  used  in  domestic  economy.  The 
tumbler  of  Ben  Buzz,  however,  was  his  countryman  in 
more  senses  than  one.  It  was  not  only  American,  but  it 
came  from  the  part  of  Pennsylvania  of  which  he  was  him 
self  a  native.  Blurred,  and  of  a  greenish  hue,  the  glass 
was  the  best  that  Pittsburg  could  then  fabricate,  and  Ben 
had  bought  it  only  the  year  before,  on  the  very  spot  where 
it  had  been  made. 

An  oak,  of  more  size  than  usual,  had  stood  a  little  re 
mote  from  its  fellows,  or  more  within  the  open  ground  of 
the  glade  than  the  rest  of  the  "  orchard."  Lightning  had 
struck  this  tree  that  very  summer,  twisting  off  its  trunk  at 
a  height  of  about  four  feet  from  the  ground.  Several  frag 
ments  of  the  body  and  branches  lay  near,  and  on  these  the 
spectators  now  took  their  seats,  watching  attentively  the 
movements  of  the  bee-hunter.  Of  the  stump  Ben  had  made 
a  sort  of  table,  first  levelling  its  splinters  with  an  axe,  and 
on  it  he  placed  the  several  implements  of  his  craft,  as  he 
had  need  of  each  in  succession. 

The  wooden  platter  was  first  placed  on  this  rude  table. 
Then  le  Bourdon  opened  his  small  box,  and  took  out  of  it 
a  piece  of  honey-comb,  that  was  circular  in  shape,  and 
about  an  inch  and  a  half  in  diameter.  The  little  covered 
tin  vessel  was  next  brought  into  use.  Some  pure  and 
beautifully  clear  honey  was  poured  from  its  spout,  into  the 
cells  of  the  piece  of  comb,  until  each  of  them  was  about 
half  filled.  The  tumbler  was  next  taken  in  hand,  carefully 
wiped,  and  examined,  by  holding  it  up  before  the  eyes  of 
the  bee-hunter.  Certainly,  there  was  little  to  admire  in  it, 
Dut  it  was  sufficiently  transparent  to  answer  his  purposes 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  l7 

All  he  asked  was  to  be  able  to  look  through  the  glass  in 
order  to  see  what  was  going  on,  in  its  interior. 

Having  made  these  preliminary  arrangements,  Buzzing 
Ben  —  for  the  sobriquet  was  applied  to  him  in  this  form 
quite  as  often  as  in  the  other  —  next  turned  his  attention 
to  the  velvet-like  covering  of  the  grassy  glade.  Fire  had 
run  over  the  whole  region  late  that  spring,  and  the  grass 
was  now  as  fresh,  and  sweet  and  short,  as  if  the  place  were 
pastured.  The  white  clover,  in  particular,  abounded,  and 
was  then  just  bursting  forth  into  the  blossom.  Various 
other  flowers  had  also  appeared,  and  around  them  were 
buzzing  thousands  of  bees.  These  industrious  little  ani 
mals  were  hard  at  work,  loading  themselves  with  sweets; 
little  foreseeing  the  robbery  contemplated  by  the  craft  of 
man.  As  le  Bourdon  moved  stealthily  among  the  flowers 
and  their  humming  visiters,  the  eyes  of  the  two  red  men 
followed  his  smallest  movement,  as  the  cat  watches  the 
mouse ;  but  Gershom  was  less  attentive,  thinking  the  whole 
curious  enough,  but  preferring  whiskey  to  all  the  honey  on 
earth. 

At  length  le  Bourdon  found  a  bee  to  his  mind,  and 
watching  the  moment  when  the  animal  was  sipping  sweets 
from  a  head  of  white  clover,  he  cautiously  placed  his  blur 
red  and  green-looking  tumbler  over  it,  and  made  it  his 
prisoner.  The  moment  the  bee  found  itself  encircled  with 
the  glass,  it  took  wing  and  attempted  to  rise.  This  carried 
it  to  the  upper  part  of  its  prison,  when  Ben  carefully  intro 
duced  the  unoccupied  hand  beneath  the  glass,  and  returned 
to  the  stump.  Here  he  set  the  tumbler  down  on  the  plat 
ter  in  a  way  to  bring  the  piece  of  honey-comb  within  its 
circle. 

So  much  done  successfully,  and  with  very  little  trouble, 
Buzzing  Ben  examined  his  captive  for  a  moment,  to  make 
sure  that  all  was  right.  Then  he  took  off  his  cap  and 
placed  it  over  tumbler,  platter,  honey-comb  and  bee.  He 
now  waited  half  a  minute,  when  cautiously  raising  the  cap 
again,  it  was  seen  that  the  bee,  the  moment  a  darkness  like 
that  of  its  hive  came  over  it,  had  lighted  on  the  comb,  and 
commenced  filling  itself  with  the  honey.  When  Ben  took 
away  the  cap  altogether,  the  head,  and  half  of  the  body  of 
the  bee  was  in  one  of  the  cells,  its  whole  attention  being 


18  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

bestowed  on  this  unlooked-for  hoard  of  treasure.  As  this 
was  just  vvhat  its  captor  wished,  he  considered  that  part  of 
his  work  accomplished.  It  now  became  apparent  why  a 
glass  was  used  to  take  the  bee,  instead  of  a  vessel  %of 
wood  or  of  bark.  Transparency  was  necessary  in  orde/  to 
watch  the  movements  of  the  captive,  as  darkness  was  ne 
cessary  in  order  to  induce  it  to  cease  its  efforts  to  escape, 
and  to  settle  on  the  comb. 

As  the  bee  was  now  intently  occupied  in  filling  itself, 
Buzzing  Ben,  or  le  Bourdon,  did  not  hesitate  about  re 
moving  the  glass.  He  even  ventured  to  look  around  him, 
and  to  make  another  captive,  which  he  placed  over  the 
comb,  and  managed  as  he  had  done  with  the  first.  In  a 
minute,  the  second  bee  was  also  buried  in  a  cell,  and  the 
glass  was  again  removed.  Le  Bourdon  now  signed  for  his 
companions  to  draw  near. 

"  There  they  are,  hard  at  work  with  the  honey,"  he  said, 
speaking  in  English,  and  pointing  at  the  bees.  "  Little  do 
they  think,  as  they  undermine  that  comb,  how  near  they 
are  to  the  undermining  of  their  own  hive  !  But  so  it  is 
with  us  all !  When  we  think  we  are  in  the  highest  pros 
perity  we  may  be  nearest  to  a  fall,  and  when  we  are  poorest 
and  humblest,  we  may  be  about  to  be  exalted.  I  often 
think  of  these  things,  out  here  in  the  wilderness,  when  I  'm 
alone,  and  my  thoughts  are  actoe." 

Ben  used  a  very  pure  English,  when  his  condition  in  life 
is  remembered;  but,  now  and  then,  he  encountered  a  word 
which  pretty  plainly  proved  he  was  not  exactly  a  scholar. 
A  false  emphasis  has  sometimes  an  influence  on  a  man's 
fortune,  when  one  lives  in  the  world ;  but,  it  mattered  little 
to  one  like  Buzzing  Ben,  who  seldom  saw  more  than  half 
a  dozen  human  faces  in  the  course  of  a  whole  summer's 
hunting.  We  remember  an  Englishman,  however,  who 
would  never  concede  talents  to  Burr,  because  the  latter 
said,  a  I'Amcricaine,  European,  instead  of  European. 

"  How  hive  in  danger?"  demanded  Elksfoot,  who  was 
very  much  of  a  matter-of-fact  person.  "  No  see  him,  no 
hear  him — else  get  some  honey." 

tl  Honey  you  can  have  for  the  asking,  for  I  've  plenty  of 
it  already  in  my  cabin,  though  it 's  somewhat  'arly  in  the 
season  to  begin  to  break  in  upon  the  store.  In  general. 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  19 

the  bee-hunters  keep  back  till  August,  for  they  think  it 
better  to  commence  work  when  the  creatures," — this  word 
Ben  pronounced  as  accurately  as  if  brought  up  at  St. 
James',  making  it  neither  '  creatur' '  nor  '  creatoore' — "  to 
commence  work  when  the  creatures  have  had  time  to  fill 
up,  after  their  winter's  feed.  But  I  like  the  old  stock,  and, 
what  is  more,  I  feel  satisfied  this  is  not  to  be  a  common 
summer,  and  so  I  thought  I  would  make  an  early  start." 

As  Ben  said  this,  he  glanced  his  eyes  at  Pigeonswing, 
who  returned  the  look  in  a  way  to  prove  there  was  already 
a  secret  intelligence  between  them,  though  neither  had 
ever  seen  the  other  an  hour  before. 

"  Waal!"  exclaimed  Gershom,  "  this  is  cur'ous,  I  Ml  allow 
that ;  yes,  it 's  cur'ous — but  we  've  got  an  article  at  Whiskey 
Centre  that  '11  put  the  sweetest  honey  bee  ever  suck'd,  alto 
gether  out  o'  countenance !" 

"  An  article  of  which  you  suck  your  share,  friend,  I  '11 
answer  for  it,  judging  by  the  sign  you  carry  between  the 
windows  of  your  face,"  returned  Ben,  laughing;  "but 
hush,  men,  hush.  That  first  bee  is  filled,  and  begins  to 
think  of  home.  He  '11  soon  be  off  for  Honey  Centre,  and 
I  must  keep  my  eye  on  him.  Now,  stand  a  little  aside, 
friends,  and  give  me  room  for  my  craft." 

The  men  complied,  and  le  Bourdon  was  now  all  intense 
attention  to  his  business.  The  bee  first  taken  had,  indeed, 
filled  itself  to  satiety,  and  at  first  seemed  to  be  too  heavy 
to  rise  on  the  wing.  After  a  few  moments  of  preparation, 
however,  up  it  went,  circling  around  the  spot,  as  if  uncer 
tain  what  course  to  take.  The  eye  of  Ben  never  left  it, 
and  when  the  insect  darted  off,  as  it  soon  did,  in  an  air-line, 
he  saw  it  for  fifty  yards  after  the  others  had  lost  sight  of  it. 
Ben  took  the  range,  and  was  silent  fully  a  minute  while  he 
did  so. 

"  That  bee  may  have  lighted  in  the  corner  of  yondei 
swamp,"  he  said,  pointing,  as  he  spoke,  to  a  bit  of  low 
land  that  sustained  a  growth  of  much  larger  trees  than 
those  which  grew  in  the  "  opening,"  "  or  it  has  crossed  the 
point  of  the  wood,  and  struck  across  the  prairie  beyond, 
and  made  for  a  bit  of  thick  forest  that  is  to  be  found  about 
three  miles  further.  In  the  last  case,  I  shall  have  ray 
trouble  for  nothing." 


20  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

"  What  t'other  do?"  demanded  Elksfoot,  with  very  ob- 
vioas  curiosity. 

"Sure  enough;  the  other  gentleman  must  be  ne/arly 
ready  for  a  start,  and  we  '11  see  what  road  he  travels.  'T  is 
always  an  assistance  to  a  bee-hunter  to  get  one  creature 
fai.rly  off,  as  it  helps  him  to  line  the  next  with  greater  sar- 
tainty." 

Ben  would  say  acfyce,  and  sartain,  though  he  was  above 
saying  creatoore,  or  creatur'.  This  is  the  difference  between 
a  Pennsylvanian  and  a  Yankee.  We  shall  not  stop,  how 
ever,  to  note  all  these  little  peculiarities  in  these  individuals, 
but  use  the  proper  or  the  peculiar  dialect,  as  may  happen 
to  be  most  convenient  to  ourselves. 

But  there  was  no  time  for  disquisition,  the  second  bee 
being  now  ready  for  a  start.  Like  his  companion,  this  in 
sect  rose  and  encircled  the  stump  several  times,  ere  it 
darted  away  towards  its  hive,  in  an  air-line.  So  small  was 
the  object,  and  so  rapid  its  movement,  that  no  one  but  the 
bee-hunter  saw  the  animal  after  it  had  begun  its  journey  in 
earnest.  To  his  disappointment,  instead  of  flying  in  the 
same  direction  as  the  bee  first  taken,  this  little  fellow  went 
buzzing  off  fairly  at  a  right  angle !  It  was  consequently 
clear  that  there  were  two  hives,  and  that  they  lay  in  very 
different  directions. 

Without  wasting  his  time  in  useless  talk,  le  Bourdon  now 
caught  another  bee,  which  was  subjected  to  the  same  pro 
cess  as  those  first  taken.  When  this  creature  had  filled 
itself,  it  rose,  circled  the  stump  as  usual,  as  if  to  note  the 
spot  for  a  second  visit,  and  darted  away,  directly  in  a  line 
with  the  bee  first  taken.  Ben  noted  its  flight  most  accu 
rately,  and  had  his  eye  on  it,  until  it  was  quite  a  hundred 
yards  from  the  stump.  This  he  was  enabled  to  do,  by 
raeans  of  a  quick  sight  and  long  practice. 

"  We  '11  move  our  quarters,  friends,"  said  Buzzing  Ben, 
good-humouredly,  as  soon  as  satisfied  with  this  last  observa 
tion,  and  gathering  together  his  traps  for  a  start.  "  I  must 
angle  for  that  hive,  and  I  fear  it  will  turn  out  to  be  across 
the  prairie,  and  quite  beyond  my  reach  for  to-day." 

The  prairie  alluded  to  was  one  of  those  small  natural 
meadows,  or  pastures,  that  are  to  be  found  in  Michigan, 
and  may  have  contained  four  or  five  thousand  acres  of  open 


THEOAKOPENINGS.  21 

Und.  The  heavy  timber  of  the  swamp  mentioned,  jutted 
into  it,  and  the  point  to  be  determined  was,  to  ascertain 
whether  the  bees  had  flown  over  these  trees,  towards  which 
they  had  certainly  gone  in  an  air-line,  or  whether  they  had 
found  their  hive  among  them.  In  order  to  settle  this  ma 
terial  question,  a  new  process  was  necessary. 

"  I  must  '  angle'  for  them  chaps,"  repeated  le  Bourdon  ; 
"  and  if  you  will  go  with  me,  strangers,  you  shall  soon  see 
the  nicest  part  of  the  business  of  bee-hunting.  Many  a 
man  who  can  '  line'  a  bee,  can  do  nothing  at  an  '  angle.' " 

As  this  was  only  gibberish  to  the  listeners,  no  answer 
was  made,  but  all  prepared  to  follow  Ben,  who  was  soon 
ready  to  change  his  ground.  The  bee-hunter  took  his  way 
across  the  open  ground  to  a  point  fully  a  hundred  rods  dis 
tant  from  his  first  position,  where  he  found  another  stump 
of  a  fallen  tree,  which  he  converted  into  a  stand.  The 
same  process  was  gone  through  with,  as  before,  and  le 
Bourdon  was  soon  watching  two  bees  that  had  plunged 
their  heads  down  into  the  cells  of  the  comb.  Nothing 
could  exceed  the  gravity  and  attention  of  the  Indians,  all 
this  time.  They  had  fully  comprehended  the  business  of 
"  lining"  the  insects  towards  their  hives,  but  they  could 
not  understand  the  virtue  of  the  "  angle."  The  first  bore 
so  strong  an  affinity  to  their  own  pursuit  of  game,  as  to  be 
very  obvious  to  their  senses ;  but  the  last  included  a  spe 
cies  of  information  to  which  they  were  total  strangers.  Nor 
were  they  much  the  wiser  after  le  Bourdon  had  taken  his 
"angle;"  it  requiring  a  sort  of  induction  to  which  they 
were  not  accustomed,  in  order  to  put  the  several  parts  of 
his  proceedings  together,  and  to  draw  the  inference.  As 
for  Gershom,  he  affected  to  be  familiar  with  all  that  was 
going  on,  though  he  was  just  as  ignorant  as  the  Indians 
themselves.  This  little  bit  of  hypocrisv  was  the  homage 
he  paid  to  his  white  blood ;  it  beinp  very  unseemly,  ac 
cording  to  his  view  of  the  matter,  for  a  pale-face  not  to 
know  more  than  a  red-skin. 

The  bees  were  some  little  time  in  filling  themselves.  At 
length  one  of  them  came  out  of  his  cell,  and  was  evidently 
getting  ready  for  his  flight.  Ben  beckoned  to  the  specta 
tors  to  stand  farther  buck,  in  order  to  give  him  a  fair 


22  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

chance,  and,  just  as  he  had  done  so,  the  bee  rose.  After 
humming  around  the  stump  for  an  instant,  away  the  insect 
dew,  taking  a  course  almost  at  right  angles  to  that  in  which 
e  Bourdon  had  expected  to  see  it  fly.  It  required  half  a 
minute  for  him  to  recollect  that  this  little  creature  had  gone 
off  in  a  line  nearly  parallel  to  that  which  had  been  taken 
by  the  second  of  the  bees,  which  he  had  seen  quit  his  ori 
ginal  position.  The  line  led  across  the  neighbouring  prairie, 
and  any  attempt  to  follow  these  bees  was  hopeless. 

But  the  second  creature  was  also  soon  ready,  and  when 
it  darted  away,  le  Bourdon,  to  his  manifest  delight,  saw 
that  it  held  its  flight  towards  the  point  of  the  swamp,  into. 
or  over  which  two  of  his  first  captives  had  also  gone.  This 
settled  the  doubtful  matter.  Had  the  hive  of  these  bees 
been  beyond  that  wood,  the  angle  of  intersection  would 
not  have  been  there,  but  at  the  hive  across  the  prairie. 
The  reader  will  understand  that  creatures  which  obey  an 
instinct,  or  such  a  reason  as  bees  possess,  would  never 
make  a  curvature  in  their  flights  without  some  strong  mo 
tive  for  it.  Thus,  two  bees  taken  from  flowers  that  stood 
half  a  mile  apart,  would  be  certain  not  to  cross  each  other's 
tracks,  in  returning  home,  until  they  met  at  the  common 
hive :  and  wherever  the  intersecting  angle  in  their  re 
spective  flights  might  be,  there  would  that  hive  be  also.  As 
this  repository  of  sweets  was  the  game  le  Bourdon  had  in 
view,  it  is  easy  to  see  how  much  he  was  pleased  when  the 
jirection  taken  by  the  last  of  his  bees  gave  him  the  neces 
sary  assurance  that  its  home  would  certainly  be  found  in 
•nat  very  point  of  dense  wood. 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  23 


CHAPTER  II. 

How  skilfully  it  builds  its  cell, 

How  neat  it  spreads  the  wax, 
And  labours  hard  to  store  it  well, 

With  the  sweet  food  it  makes. 

Watts'  Hymns  for  Children. 

THE  next  thing  was  to  ascertain  which  was  the  particu 
lar  tree  in  which  the  bees  had  found  a  shelter.  Collecting 
lis  implements,  le  Bourdon  was  soon  ready,  and,  with  a 
light  elastic  tread,  he  moved  off  towards  the  point  of  the 
wood,  followed  by  the  whole  party.  The  distance  was 
about  half  a  mile,  and  men  so  much  accustomed  to  use 
their  limbs  made  light  of  it.  In  a  few  minutes  all  were 
there,  and  the  bee-hunter  was  busy  in  looking  for  his  tree. 
This  was  the  consummation  of  the  whole  process,  and  Ben 
was  not  only  provided  for  the  necessities  of  the  case,  but 
he  was  well  skilled  in  all  the  signs  that  betokened  the 
abodes  of  bees. 

An  uninstructed  person  might  have  passed  that  point  of 
wood  a  thousand  times,  without  the  least  consciousness  of 
the  presence  of  a  single  insect  of  the  sort  now  searched 
for.  In  general,  the  bees  flew  too  high  to  be  easily  percep 
tible  from  the  ground,  though  a  practised  eye  can  discern 
them  at  distances  that  would  almost  seem  to  be  marvellous. 
But  Ben  had  other  assistants  than  his  eyes.  He  knew  that 
the  tree  he  sought  must  be  hollow,  and  such  trees  usually 
give  outward  signs  of  the  defect  that  exists  within.  Then, 
some  species  of  wood  are  more  frequented  by  the  bees  than 
others,  while  the  instinct  of  the  industrious  little  creatures 
generally  enables  them  to  select  such  homes  as  will  not  be 
very  likely  to  destroy  all  the  fruits  of  their  industry  by  an 
untimely  fall.  In  all  these  particulars,  both  bees  and  bee- 
hunter  were  well  versed,  and  Ben  made  his  search  accord 
ingly. 

Among  the  other  implements  of  his  calling,  le  Bourdon 
had  a  small  spy-glass ;  one  scarcely  larger  than  those  that 


24  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

are  used  in  theatres,  but  which  was  powerful  and  every 
way  suited  to  its  purposes.  Ben  was  not  long  in  selecting 
a  tree,  a  half-decayed  elm,  as  the  one  likely  to  contain  the 
hive;  and  by  the  aid  of  his  glass  he  soon  saw  bees  flying 
among  its  dying  branches,  at  a  height  of  not  less  than  se 
venty  feet  from  the  ground.  A  little  further  search  directed 
his  attention  to  a  knot-hole,  in  and  out  of  which  the  glass 
enabled  him  to  see  bees  passing  in  streams.  This  decided 
the  point ;  and  putting  aside  all  his  implements  but  the 
axe,  Buzzing  Ben  now  set  about  the  task  of  felling  the 
tree. 

"  Stranger  "  said  Gershom,  when  le  Bourdon  had  taken 
out  the  first  chip,  "  perhaps  you  'd  better  let  me  do  that 
part  of  the  job.  I  shall  expect  to  come  in  for  a  share  of 
the  honey,  and  I  'm  willing  to  'arn  all  I  take.  I  was  brought 
up  on  axes,  and  jack-knives,  and  sich  sort  of  food,  and  can 
cut,  or  whittle,  with  the  best  chopper,  or  the  neatest  whit- 
tier,  in  or  out  of  New  England." 

"  You  can  try  your  hand,  if  you  wish  it,"  said  Ben,  re 
linquishing  the  axe.  "  I  can  fell  a  tree  as  well  as  yourself, 
but  have  no  such  love  for  the  business  as  to  wish  to  keep 
it  all  to  myself." 

"  Waal,  I  can  say,  I  like  it,"  answered  Gershom,  first 
passing  his  thumb  along  the  edge  of  the  axe,  in  order  to 
ascertain  its  state ;  then  swinging  the  tool,  with  a  view  to 
try  its  c  hang.' 

"  I  can't  say  much  for  your  axe,  stranger,  for  this  helve 
has  no  tarve  to 't,  to  my  mind ;  but,  sich  as  it  is,  down 
must  come  this  elm,  though  ten  millions  of  bees  should 
set  upon  me  for  my  pains." 

This  was  no  idle  boast  of  Waring's.  Worthless  as  he 
was  in  so  many  respects,  he  was  remarkably  skilful  with 
the  axe,  as  he  now  proved  by  the  rapid  manner  in  which 
he  severed  the  trunk  of  the  large  elm  on  which  he  was  at 
work.  He  inquired  of  Ben  where  he  should  *  lay  the  tree,' 
and  when  it  came  clattering  down,  it  fell  on  the  precise 
spot  indicated.  Great  was  the  confusion  among  the  bees 
at  this  sudden  downfall  of  their  long-cherished  home.  The 
fact  was  not  known  to  their  enemy,  but  they  had  inhabited 
that  tree  for  a  long  time ;  and  the  prize  now  obtained  was 
the  richest  he  had  ever  made  in  his  calling.  As  for  the 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  25 

insects,  they  filled  the  air  in  clouds,  and  all  the  invaders 
deemed  it  prudent  to  withdraw  to  some  little  distance  for  a 
time,  lest  the  irritated  and  wronged  bees  should  set  upon 
them  and  take  an  ample  revenge.  Had  they  known  their 
power,  this  might  easily  have  been  done,  no  ingenuity  of 
man  being  able  to  protect  him  against  the  assaults  of  this 
insignificant-looking  animal,  when  unable  to  cover  him 
self,  and  the  angry  little  heroes  are  in  earnest.  On  the 
present  occasion,  however,  no  harm  befel  the  marauders. 
So  suddenly  had  the  hive  tumbled,  that  its  late  occupants 
appeared  to  be  astounded,  and  they  submitted  to  their  fate 
as  men  yield  to  the  power  of  tempests  and  earthquakes. 
In  half  an  hour  most  of  them  were  collected  on  an  adjacent 
tree,  where  doubtless  a  consultation  on  the  mode  of  future 
proceedings  was  held,  after  their  fashion. 

The  Indians  were  more  delighted  with  le  Bourdon's  in 
genious  mode  of  discovering  the  hive  than  with  the  rich 
ness  of  the  prize;  while  Ben,  himself,  and  Gershom,  mani 
fested  most  satisfaction  at  the  amount  of  the  earnings. 
When  the  tree  was  cut  in  pieces,  and  split,  it  was  ascer 
tained  that  years  of  sweets  were  contained  within  its  capa 
cious  cavities,  and  Ben  estimated  the  portion  that  fell  to 
his  share  at  more  than  three  hundred  pounds  of  good 
honey — comb  included — after  deducting  the  portions  that 
were  given  to  the  Indians,  and  which  were  abstracted  by 
Gershom.  The  three  last,  however,  could  carry  but  little, 
as  they  had  no  other  means  of  bearing  it  away  than  their 
own  backs. 

The  honey  was  not  collected  that  night.  The  day  was 
too  far  advanced  for  that ;  and  le  Bourdon — certainly  never 
was  name  less  merited  than  this  sobriquet,  as  applied  to  the 
active  young  bee-hunter — but,  le  Bourdon,  to  give  him  his 
quaint  appellation,  offered  the  hospitalities  of  his  own  cabin 
to  the  strangers,  promising  to  put  them  on  their  several 
paths  the  succeeding  day,  with  a  good  store  of  honey  in 
each  knapsack. 

"  They  do  say  there  ar'  likely  to  be  troublesome  times," 
he  continued,  with  simple  earnestness,  after  having  given 
the  invitation  to  partake  of  his  homely  fare ;  "  and  I  should 
like  to  hear  what  is  going  on  in  the  world.  From  Whiskey 
Centre  I  do  not  expect  to  learn  much,  I  will  own ;  but  J 
—  3 


26  THE    OAK    OPENINGS 

am  mistaken  if  the  Pigeonswing,  here,  has  not  a  rressage 
that  will  make  us  all  open  our  ears." 

The  Indians  ejaculated  their  assent ;  but  Gershom  was 
a  man  who  could  not  express  anything  sententiously.  As 
the  bee-hunter  led  the  way  towards  his  cabin,  or  shanty,  he 
made  his  comments  with  his  customary  freedom.  Before 
recording  what  he  communicated,  however,  we  shall  digress 
for  one  moment  in  order  to  say  a  word  ourselves  concern 
ing  this  term  "  shanty."  It  is  now  in  general  use  through 
out  the  whole  of  the  United  States,  meaning  a  cabin  that 
has  been  constructed  in  haste,  and  for  temporary  purposes. 
By  a  license  of  speech,  it  is  occasionally  applied  to  more 
permanent  residences,  as  men  are  known  to  apply  familiar 
epithets  to  familiar  objects.  The  derivation  of  the  word 
has  caused  some  speculation.  The  term  certainly  came 
from  the  west — perhaps  from  the  north-west— and  the  best 
explanation  we  have  ever  heard  of  its  derivation  is  to  sup 
pose  "shanty,"  as  we  now  spell  it,  a  corruption  of"  chicnt£" 
which  it  is  thought  may  have  been  a  word  in  Canadian 
French  phrase  to  express  a  "  dog-kennel."  "  Chenil,"  we 
believe,  is  the  true  French  term  for  such  a  thing,  and  our 
own  word  is  said  to  be  derived  from  it — "  meute"  meaning 
"  a  kennel  of  dogs,"  or  "  a  pack  of  hounds,"  rather  than 
their  dwelling.  At  any  rate,  "  chiente"  is  so  plausible  a 
solution  of  the  difficulty,  that  one  may  hope  it  is  the  true 
one,  even  though  he  has  no  better  authority  for  it  than  a 
very  vague  rumour.  Curious  discoveries  are  sometimes 
made  by  these  rude  analogies,  however,  though  they  are 
generally  thought  not  to  be  very  near  akin  to  learning. 
For  ourselves,  now,  we  do  not  entertain  a  doubt  that  the 
sobriquet  of  "  yankees,"  which  is  in  every  man's  mouth, 
and  of  which  the  derivation  appears  to  puzzle  all  our  phi 
lologists,  is  nothing  but  a  slight  corruption  of  the  word 
"yengeese,"  the  term  applied  to  the  "English,"  by  the 
tribes  to  whom  they  first  became  known.  We  have  no 
other  authority  for  this  derivation  than  conjecture,  and 
conjectures  that  are  purely  our  own ;  but  it  is  so  very 
plausible  as  almost  to  carry  conviction,  of  itself.* 

*  Since  writing  the  above,  the  author  has  met  with  an  allusion 
that  has  induced  him  to  think  he  may  not  have  been  the  first  to 
suggest  this  derivation  of  the  word  «  yankee. '  With  himself,  the 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  27 

The  "  chiente,"  or  shanty  of  le  Bourdon,  stood  quite 
near  to  the  banks  of  the  KaJamazoo,  and  in  a  most  beau 
tiful  grove  of  the  burr  oak.  Ben  had  selected  the  site  with 
much  taste,  though  the  proximity  of  a  spring  of  delicious 
water  had  probably  its  full  share  in  influencing  his  decision. 
It  was  necessary,  moreover,  that  he  should  be  near  the 
river,  as  his  great  movements  were  all  made  by  water,  for 
the  convenience  of  transporting  his  tools,  furniture,  &c., 
as  well  as  his  honey.  A  famous  bark  canoe  lay  in  a  little 
bay,  out.  of  the  current  of  the  stream,  securely  moored, 
head  and  stern,  in  order  to  prevent  her  beating  against  any 
object  harder  than  herself. 

The  dwelling  had  been  constructed  with  some  attention 
to  security.  This  was  rendered  necessary,  in  some  mea 
sure,  as  Ben  had  found  by  experience,  on  account  of  two 
classes  of  enemies — men  and  bears.  From  the  first,  it  is 
true,  the  bee-hunter  had  hitherto  apprehended  but  little. 
There  were  few  human  beings  in  that  region.  The  north 
ern  portions  of  the  noble  peninsula  of  Michigan  are  some 
what  low  and  swampy,  or  are  too  broken  and  savage  to 
tempt  the  native  hunters  from  the  openings  and  prairies  that 
then  lay,  in  such  rich  profusion,  further  south  and  west. 
With  the  exception  of  the  shores,  or  coasts,  it  was  seldom 
that  the  northern  half  of  the  peninsula  felt  the  footstep  of 
man.  With  the  southern  half,  however,  it  was  very  different  ; 
the  "  openings,"  and  glades,  and  water-courses,  offering 
almost  as  many  temptations  to  the  savage,  as  they  have 
since  done  to  the  civilized  man.  Nevertheless,  the  bison, 
or  the  buffalo,  as  the  animal  is  erroneously,  but  very  ge 
nerally  termed  throughout  the  country,  was  not  often  found 
in  the  vast  herds  of  which  we  read,  until  one  reached  the 
great  prairies  west  of  the  Mississippi.  There  it  was  that 
the  red  men  most  loved  to  congregate;  though  always 
bearing,  in  numbers,  but  a  trifling  proportion  to  the  surface 
they  occupied.  In  that  day,  however,  near  as  to  the  date, 
but  distant  as  to  the  events,  the  Chippewas,  Ottawas,  and 
Pottawattamies,  kindred  tribes,  we  believe,  had  still  a  foot- 
suggestion  is  perfectly  original,  and  has  long  since  been  published 
by  him ;  but  nothing  is  more  probable  than  the  fact  that  a  solution 
30  very  natural,  of  this  long-disputed  question  in  language,  may 
have  suggested  itself  to  various  minds. 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

ing  in  Michigan  proper,  and  were  to  be  found  in  consider 
able  numbers  in  what  was  called  the  St.  Joseph's  country, 
or  along  the  banks  of  the  stream  of  that  name;  a  region 
that  almost  merits  the  lofty  appellation  of  the  garden  of 
America.  Le  Bourdon  knew  many  of  their  warriors,  and 
was  much  esteemed  among  them ;  though  he  had  never 
met  with  either  of  those  whom  chance  now  had  thrown  in 
his  way.  In  general,  he  suffered  little  wrong  from  the  red 
men,  who  wondered  at  his  occupation,  while  they  liked  his 
character ;  but  he  had  sustained  losses,  and  even  ill  treat 
ment,  from  certain  outcasts  of  the  tribes,  as  well  as  from 
vagrant  whites,  who  occasionally  found  their  way  to  his 
temporary  dwellings.  On  the  present  occasion,  le  Bourdon 
felt  far  more  uneasiness  from  the  circumstance  of  having 
his  abode  known  to  Gershom  Waring,  a  countryman,  and 
fellow-christian,  in  one  sense,  at  least,  than  from  its  being 
known  to  the  Chippewa  and  the  Pottawattamie. 

The  bears  were  constant  aod  dangerous  sources  of  an 
noyance  to  the  bee-hunter.  It  was  not  often  that  an  armed 
man  —  and  le  Bourdon  seldom  moved  without  his  rifle  — 
has  much  to  apprehend  from  the  common  brown  bear  of 
America.  Though  a  formidable-looking  animal,  especially 
when  full  ^rown,  it  is  seldom  bold  enough  to  attack  a 
human  being,  nothing  but  hunger,  or  care  for  its  young, 
ever  inducing  it  to  go  so  much  out  of  the  ordinary  track 
of  its  habits.  But  the  love  of  the  bear  for  honey  amounts 
to  a  passion.  Not  only  will  it  devise  all  sorts  of  bearish 
expedients  to  get  at  the  sweet  morsels,  but  it  will  scent 
them  from  afar.  On  one  occasion,  a  family  of  Bruins  had 
looked  into  a  shanty  of  Ben's,  that  was  not  constructed 
with  sufficient  care,  and  consummated  their  burglary  by 
demolishing  the  last  comb.  That  disaster  almost  ruined 
the  adventurer,  then  quite  young  in  his  calling;  and  ever 
since  its  occurrence,  he  had  taken  the  precaution  to  build 
such  a  citadel  as  should  at  least  set  teeth  and  paws  at  de 
fiance.  To  one  who  had  an  axe,  with  access  to  young 
pines,  this  was  not  a  difficult  task,  as  was  proved  by  the 
present  habitation  of  our  hero. 

This  was  the  second  season  that  le  Bourdon  had  occu 
pied  "  Castle  Meal,"  as  he  himself  called  the  shanty.  This 
appellation  was  a  corruption  of  "  Chateau  au  Miel"  a 


THE     OAK    OPENINGS.  29 

name  given  to  it  by  a  wag  of  a  voyagcur,  who  had  aided 
Ben  in  ascending  the  Kalamazoo  the  previous  summer,  and 
had  remained  long  enough  with  him  to  help  him  put  up  his 
habitation.  The  building  was  just  twelve  feet  square,  in 
the  interior,  and  somewhat  less  than  fourteen  on  its  exterior. 
It  was  made  of  pine  logs,  in  the  usual  mode,  with  the  ad 
ditional  security  of  possessing  a  roof  of  squared  timbers,  of 
which  the  several  parts  were  so  nicely  fitted  together,  as  to 
shed  rain.  This  unusual  precaution  was  rendered  neces 
sary  to  protect  the  honey,  since  the  bears  would  have  uri- 
roofed  the  common  bark  coverings  of  the  shanties,  with 
the  readiness  of  human  beings,  in  order  to  get  at  stores  as 
ample  as  those  which  the  bee-hunter  had  soon  collected 
beneath  his  roof.  There  was  one  window  of  glass,  which 
le  Bourdon  had  brought  in  his  canoe;  though  it  was  a 
single  sash  of  six  small  lights,  that  opened  on  hinges;  the 
exterior  being  protected  by  stout  bars  of  riven  oak,  securely 
let  into  the  logs.  The  door  was  made  of  three  thick 
nesses  of  oaken  plank,  pinned  well  together,  and  swinging 
on  stout  iron  hinges,  so  secured  as  not  to  be  easily  re 
moved.  Its  outside  fastening  was  made  by  means  of  two 
stout  staples,  a  short  piece  of  ox-chain,  and  an  unusually 
heavy  padlock.  Nothing  short  of  an  iron  bar,  and  that 
cleverly  applied,  could  force  this  fastening.  On  the  inside, 
three  bars  of  oak  rendered  all  secure,  when  the  master  was 
at  home. 

"You  set  consid'rable  store  by  your  honey,  I  guess, 
stranger"  said  Gershom,  as  le  Bourdon  unlocked  the  fast 
enings  and  removed  the  chain,  "  if  a  body  may  judge  by 
the  kear  (care)  you  take  on't !  Now,  down  our  way,  we 
an't  half  so  partic'lar ;  Dolly  and  Blossom  never  so  much 
as  putting  up  a  bar  to  the  door,  even  when  I  sleep  out, 
which  is  about  half  the  time,  now  the  summer  is  fairly  set 
in." 

"  And  whereabouts  is  *  down  our  way,'  if  one  may  be 
BO  bold  as  to  ask  the  question?"  returned  le  Bourdon,  hold 
ing  the  door  half-opened,  while  he  turned  his  face  towards 
the  other,  in  expectation  of  the  answer. 

"  Why,  down  at  Whiskey  Centre,  to  be  sure,  as  the 
f'y'gerers  and  other  boatmen  call  the  place." 
3* 


30  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

"And  where  is  Whiskey  Centre?"  demanded  Ben,  a 
little  pertinaciously. 

"  Why,  I  thought  everybody  would  a'  known  that,"  an« 
swered  Gershom ;  "  sin'  whiskey  is  as  drawin'  as  a  blister. 
Whiskey  Centre  is  just  where  /  happen  to  live ;  bein'  what 
a  body  may  call  a  travellin'  name.  As  I  'm  now  down  at 
the  mouth  of  the  Kalamazoo,  why  Whiskey  Centre  's  there, 
too." 

"  I  understand  the  matter,  now,"  answered  le  Bourdon, 
composing  his  well-formed  mouth  in  a  sort  of  contemptuous 
smile.  "  You  and  whiskey  being  sworn  friends,  are  always 
to  be  found  in  company.  When  I  came  into  the  river, 
which  was  the  last  week  in  April,  I  saw  nothing  like 
whiskey,  nor  anything  like  a  Centre  at  the  mouth." 

"  If  you  'd  a'  be'n  a  fortnight  later,  stranger,  you  'd  a' 
found  both.  Travellin'  Centres,  and  stationary,  differs 
somewhat,  I  guess ;  one  is  always  to  be  found,  while  t'other 
must  be  s' arched  a'ter." 

"  And  pray  who  are  Dolly  and  Blossom  ;  I  hope  the  last 
is  not  a  whiskey  blossom  ?" 

"  Not  she — she  never  touches  a  spoonful,  though  I  tell 
her  it  never  hurt  mortal !  She  tries  hard  to  reason  me  into 
it  that  it  hurts  me  —  but  that's  all  a  mistake,  as  anybody 
can  see  that  jest  looks  at  me." 

Ben  did  look  at  him ;  and,  to  say  truth,  came  to  a 
somewhat  different  conclusion. 

"Is  she  so  blooming  that  you  call  her  '  Blossom?'  "  de 
manded  the  bee-hunter,  "or  is  she  so  young?" 

"  The  gal 's  a  little  of  both.  Dolly  is  my  wife,  and 
Blossom  is  my  sister.  The  real  name  of  Blossom  is  Mar 
gery  Waring,  but  everybody  calls  her  Blossom;  and  so  1 
gi'n  into  it,  with  the  rest  on  'em." 

It  is  probable  that  le  Bourdon  lost  a  good  deal  of  his  in 
terest  in  this  flower  of  the  wilderness,  as  soon  as  he  learned 
she  was  so  nearly  related  to  the  Whiskey  Centre.  Gershom 
was  so  very  uninviting  an  object,  arid  had  so  many  palpable 
marks  that  he  had  fairly  earned  the  nickname  which,  as  it 
afterwards  appeared,  the  western  adventurers  had  given 
him,  as  well  as  his  abode,  wherever  the  last  might  be,  that 
no  one  of  decently  sober  habits  could  readily  fancy  anything 
belonging  to  him.  At  any  rate,  the  bee-hunter  now  led 


THE    OAK     OPENINGS.  31 

the  way  into  his  cabin,  whither  he  was  followed  without 
unnecessary  ceremony,  by  all  three  of  his  guests. 

The  interior  of  the  "  chiente"  to  use  the  most  poetical, 
if  not  the  most  accurate  word,  was  singularly  clean  for  an 
establishment  set  up  by  a  bachelor,  in  so  remote  a  part  of 
the  world.  The  honey,  in  neat,  well-constructed  kegs,  was 
carefully  piled  along  one  side  of  the  apartment,  in  a  way 
tc  occupy  the  minimum  of  room,  and  to  be  rather  orna 
mental  than  unsightly.  These  kegs  were  made  by  le  Bour 
don  himself,  who  had  acquired  as  much  of  the  art  as  was 
accessary  to  that  object.  The  woods  always  furnished  the 
materials;  and  a  pile  of  staves  that  was  placed  beneath  a 
neighbouring  tree,  sufficiently  denoted  that  he  did  not  yet 
deem  that  portion  of  his  task  completed. 

In  one  corner  of  the  hut  was  a  pile  of  well-dressed  bear 
skins,  three  in  number,  each  and  all  of  which  had  been 
taken  from  the  carcasses  of  fallen  foes,  within  the  last  two 
months.  Three  more  were  stretched  on  saplings,  near  by, 
in  the  process  of  curing.  It  was  a  material  part  of  the 
bee-hunter's  craft  to  kill  this  animal,  in  particular;  and  the 
trophies  of  his  conflicts  with  them  were  proportionably  nu 
merous.  On  the  pile  already  prepared,  he  usually  slept. 

There  was  a  very  rude  table,  a  single  board  set  up  on 
sticks ;  and  a  bench  or  two,  together  with  a  wooden  chest 
of  some  size,  completed  the  furniture.  Tools  were  sus 
pended  from  the  walls,  it  is  true ;  and  no  less  than  three 
rifles,  in  addition  to  a  very  neat  double-barrelled  "  shot 
gun,"  or  fowling-piece,  were  standing  in  a  corner.  These 
were  arms  collected  by  our  hero  in  his  different  trips,  and 
retained  quite  as  much  from  affection,  as  from  necessity, 
or  caution.  Of  ammunition,  there  was  no  very  great 
amount  visible;  only  three  or  four  horns  and  a  couple  of 
pouches  being  suspended  from  pegs :  but  Ben  had  a  secret 
store,  as  well  as  another  rifle,  carefully  secured,  in  a  natural 
magazine  and  arsenal,  at  a  distance  sufficiently  great  from 
the  chientg,  to  remove  it  from  all  danger  of  sharing  in  the 
fortunes  of  his  citadel,  should  disaster  befall  the  last. 

The  cooking  was  done  altogether  out  of  doors.  For 
this  essential  comfort,  le  Bourdon  had  made  very  liberal 
provision.  He  had  a  small  oven,  a  sufficiently  convenient 
fire-place,  and  a  store-house,  at  hand ;  all  placed  near  the 


32  THEOAKOPENINGS. 

spring,  and  beneath  the  shade  of  a  magnificent  elm.  -  Its 
the  store-house  he  kept  his  barrel  of  flour,  his  barrel  of 
salt,  a  stock  of  smoked  or  dried  meat,  and  that  which  the 
woodsman,  if  accustomed  in  early  life  to  the  settlements, 
prizes  most  highly,  a  half-barrel  of  pickled  pork.  The 
!>ark  canoe  had  sufficed  to  transport  all  these  stores,  merely 
ballasting  handsomely  that  ticklish  craft;  and  its  owner 
relied  on  the  honey  to  perform  the  same  office  on  the  return 
voyage,  when  trade  or  consumption  should  have  disposed 
of  the  various  articles  just  named. 

The  reader  may  smile  at  the  word  "  trade,"  and  ask 
where  were  those  to  be  found  who  could  be  parties  to  the 
traffic.  The  vast  lakes  and  innumerable  rivers  of  that  re 
gion,  however,  remote  as  it  then  was  from  the  ordinary 
abodes  of  civilized  man,  offered  facilities  for  communica 
tion  that  the  active  spirit  of  trade  would  be  certain  not  to 
neglect.  In  the  first  place,  there  were  always  the  Indiana 
to  barter  skins  and  furs  against  powder,  lead,  rifles,  blan 
kets,  and  unhappily  "  fire-water."  Then,  the  white  men. 
who  penetrated  to  those  semi-wilds,  were  always  ready  to 
"  dicker"  and  to  "  swap,"  and  to  "trade"  rifles,  and  watches,, 
and  whatever  else  they  might  happen  to  possess,  almost  to 
their  wives  and  children. 

But,  we  should  be  doing  injustice  to  le  Bourdon,  were 
we  in  any  manner  to  confound  him  with  the  "  dickering** 
race.  He  was  a  bee-hunter  quite  as  much  through  love 
of  the  wilderness,  and  love  of  adventure,  as  through  love 
of  gain.  Profitable  he  had  certainly  found  the  employment^ 
or  he  probably  would  not  have  pursued  it ;  but  there  was 
many  a  man  who  —  nay,  most  men,  even  in  his  own  hum 
ble  class  in  life  —  would  have  deemed  his  liberal  earnings 
too  hardly  obtained,  when  gained  at  the  expense  of  all  in 
tercourse  with  their  own  kind.  But  Buzzing  Ben  loved 
the  solitude  of  his  situation,  its  hazards,  its  quietude,  re* 
lieved  by  passing  moments  of  high  excitement;  and,  most 
of  all,  the  self-reliance  that  was  indispensable  equally  to 
his  success  and  his  happiness.  Woman,  as  yet,  had  never 
exercised  her  witchery  over  him,  and  every  day  was  his 
passion  for  dwelling  alone,  and  for  enjoying  the  strange* 
but  certainly  most  alluring,  pleasures  of  the  woods,  in 
creasing  and  gaining  strength  in  his  bosom.  It  was  seldom, 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  33 

now,  "that  he  held  intercourse  even  with  the  Indian  tribes 
that  dwelt  near  his  occasional  places  of  hunting;  and  fre 
quently  had  he  shifted  his  ground  in  order  to  avoid  colli 
sion,  however  friendly,  with  whites  who,  like  himself,  were 
pushing  their  humble  fortunes  along  the  shores  of  those 
inland  seas,  which,  as  yet,  were  rarely  indeed  whitened  by 
a  sail.  In  this  respect,  Boden  and  Waring  were  the  very 
antipodes  of  each  other;  Gershom  being  an  inveterate 
gossip,  in  despite  of  his  attachment  to  a  vagrant  and  bor 
der  life. 

The  duties  of  hospitality  are  rarely  forgotten  among 
border-men.  The  inhabitant  of  a  town  may  lose  his  na 
tural  disposition  to  receive  all  who  offer  at  his  board,  under 
the  pressure  of  society  ;  but  it  is  only  in  most  extraordinary 
exceptions  that  the  frontier  man  is  ever  known  to  be  in 
hospitable.  He  has  little  to  offer,  but  that  little  is  seldom 
withheld,  either  through  prudence  or  niggardliness.  Under 
this  feeling,  we  might  call  it  habit  also,  le  Bourdon  now 
set  himself  at  work  to  place  on  the  table  such  food  as  he 
had  at  command  and  ready  cooked.  The  meal  which  he 
soon  pressed  his  guests  to  share  with  him,  was  composed 
of  a  good  piece  of  cold  boiled  pork,  which  Ben  had  luckily 
cooked  the  day  previously,  some  bear's  meat  roasted,  a 
fragment  of  venison  steak,  both  lean  and  cold,  and  the  re 
mains  of  a  duck  that  had  been  shot  the  day  before,  in  the 
Kalamazoo,  with  bread,  salt,  and  what  was  somewhat  un 
usual  in  the  wilderness,  two  or  three  onions,  raw.  The 
last  dish  was  highly  relished  by  Gershom,  and  was  slightly 
honoured  by  Ben  ;  but  the  Indians  passed  it  over  with  cold 
indifference.  The  dessert  consisted  of  bread  and  honey, 
which  were  liberally  partaken  of  by  all  at  table. 

Little  was  said  by  either  host  or  guests,  until  the  supper 
was  finished,  when  the  whole  party  left  the  chiente,  to 
enjoy  their  pipes,  in  the  cool  evening  air,  beneath  the  oaks 
of  the  grove  in  which  the  dwelling  stood.  Their  conversa 
tion  began  to  let  the  parties  know  something  of  each  other's 
movements  and  characters. 

"  You  are  a  Pottawattamie,  and  you  a  Chippewa,"  said 
e  Bourdon,  as  he  courteously  handed  to  his  two  red  guests 
pipes  of  their's,  that  he  had  just  stuffed  with  some  of  his 


34  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

own  tobacco — "  I  believe  you  are  a  sort  of  cousins,  though 
your  tribes  are  called  by  different  names." 

"  Nation,  Ojebway,"  returned  the  elder  Indian,  holding 
up  a  finger,  by  way  of  enforcing  attention. 

"  Tribe,  Pottawattamie,"  added  the  runner,  in  the  same 
sententious  manner. 

"Baccy,  good" — put  in  the  senior,  by  way  of  showing 
he  was  well  contented  with  his  comforts. 

"Have  you  nothin'  to  drink?"  demanded  Whiskey  Cen 
tre,  who  saw  no  great  merit  in  anything  but  f  fire-water.' 

"  There  is  the  spring,"  returned  le  Bourdon,  gravely ; 
"  a  gourd  hangs  against  the  tree." 

Gershom  made  a  wry  face,  but  he  did  not  move. 

"Is  there  any  news  stirring  among  the  tribes V  asked 
the  bee-hunter,  waiting,  however,  a  decent  interval,  lest  he 
might  be  supposed  to  betray  a  womanly  curiosity. 

Elksfoot  puffed  away  some  time,  before  he  saw  fit  to  an 
swer,  reserving  a  salvo  in  behalf  of  his  own  dignity.  Then 
he  removed  the  pipe,  shook  off  the  ashes,  pressed  down  the 
fire  a  little,  gave  a  reviving  draught  or  two,  and  quietly 
replied — 

"Ask  my  young  brother — he  runner — he  know." 

But  Pigeonswing  seemed  to  be  little  more  communicative 
than  the  Pottawattamie.  He  smoked  on  in  quiet  dignity, 
while  the  bee-hunter  patiently  waited  for  the  moment  when 
it  might  suit  his  younger  guest  to  speak.  That  moment 
did  not  arrive  for  some  time,  though  it  came  at  last.  Almost 
five  minutes  after  Elksfoot  had  made  the  allusion  mention 
ed,  the  Ojebway,  or  Chippewa,  removed  his  pipe,  also,  and 
looking  courteously  round  at  his  host,  he  said  with  em 
phasis — 

"  Bad  summer  come  soon.  Palefaces  call  young  men 
togedder,  and  dig  up  hatchet." 

"I  had  heard  something  of  this,"  answered  le  Bourdon, 
with  a  saddened  countenance,  "  and  was  afraid  it  might 
happen." 

"My  brother  dig  up  hatchet  too,  eh?"  demanded  Pi 
geonswing. 

"  Why  should  I?  1  am  alone  here,  on  the  Openings, 
and  it  would  seem  foolish  in  me  to  wish  to  fight." 

"  Got  no  tribe — no  Ot\ebway — no  Pottawattamie,  eh  V 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  35 

**  I  have  my  tribe,  as  well  as  another,  Chippewa,  but  can 
see  no  use  I  can  be  to  it,  here.  If  the  English  and  Ame 
ricans  fight,  it  must  be  a  long  way  from  this  wilderness, 
and  on,  or  near  the  great  salt  lake." 

"  Don't  know — nebber  know,  'till  see.  English  warrior 
plenty  in  Canada." 

"That  may  be;  but  American  warriors  are  not  plenty, 
here.  This  country  is  a  wilderness,  and  there  are  no  sol 
diers,  hereabouts,  to  cut  each  other's  throats." 

"What  you  t'ink  him?"  asked  Pigeonswing,  glancing 
at  Gershom ;  who,  unable  to  forbear  any  longer,  had  gone 
to  the  spring  to  mix  a  cup  from  a  small  supply  that  still 
remained  of  the  liquor  with  which  he  had  left  home.  "  Got 
pretty  good  scalp  V 

"  I  suppose  it  is  as  good  as  another's — but  he  and  I  are 
countrymen,  and  we  cannot  raise  the  tomahawk  on  one 
another." 

"  Don't  t'ink  so.     Plenty  yankee,  him  !" 

Le  Bourdon  smiled  at  this  proof  of  Pigeonswing's  saga 
city,  though  he  felt  a  good  deal  of  uneasiness  at  the  pur 
port  of  his  discourse. 

"  You  are  right  enough  in  that" — he  answered — "  but 
I  'm  plenty  of  yankee,  too." 

"No  —  don't  say  so"  —  returned  the  Chippewa  —  "no, 
mustn't  say  dat.  English;  no  yankee.  Him  not  a  bit 
like  you." 

"  Why,  we  are  unlike  each  other,  in  some  respects,  it  is 
true,  though  we  are  countrymen,  notwithstanding.  My 
Great  Father  lives  at  Washington,  as  well  as  his." 

The  Chippewa  appeared  to  be  disappointed ;  perhaps  he 
appeared  sorry,  too;  for  le  Bourdon's  frank  and  manly 
hospitality  had  disposed  him  to  friendship  instead  of  hosti 
lities,  while  his  admissions  would  rather  put  him  in  an  anta 
gonist  position.  It  was  probably  with  a  kind  motive  that 
he  pursued  the  discourse  in  a  way  to  give  his  host  some 
insight  into  the  true  condition  of  matters  in  that  part  of 
the  world. 

"  Plenty  Breetish  in  woods,"  he  said,  with  marked  deli 
beration  and  point.  "  Yankee  no  come  yet." 

"  Let  me  know  the  truth,  at  once,  Chippewa,"  exclaimed 
le  Bourdon.  "  I  am  but  a  peaceable  bee-hunter,  as  you  see, 


36  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

and  wish  no  man's  scalp,  or  any  man's  honey,  but  my  own. 
Is  there  to  be  a  war  between  America  and  Canada,  or  not?"' 

"  Some  say,  yes;  some  say,  no;"  returned  Pigeonswing, 
evasively.  "  My  part,  don't  know.  Go,  now,  to  see.  But 
plenty  Montreal  belt  among  red-skins ;  plenty  rifle ;  plenty 
powder,  too." 

"  I  heard  something  of  this  as  I  came  up  the  lakes," 
rejoined  Ben ;  "  and  fell  in  with  a  trader,  an  old  acquaint 
ance,  from  Canada,  and  a  good  friend,  too,  though  he  is  to 
be  my  enemy,  accordin'  to  Taw,  who  gave  me  to  understand 
that  the  summer  would  not  go  over  without  blows.  Still, 
they  all  seemed  to  be  asleep  at  Mackinaw  (Michillimacki- 
nac)  as  I  passed  there !" 

"  Wake  up  pretty  soon.     Canada  warrior  take  fort." 

"  If  I  thought  that,  Chippewa,  I  woutd  be  off  this  blessed 
night  to  give  the  alarm." 

«  No— t'ink  better  of  dat." 

"  Go,  I  would,  if  I  died  for  it  the  next  hour !" 

"  T'ink  better — be  no  such  fool,  I  tell  you." 

"  And  I  tell  you,  Pigeonswing,  that  go  I  would,  if  the 
whole  Ojebway  nation  was  on  my  trail.  I  am  an  American,, 
and  mean  to  stand  by  my  own  people,  come  what  will." 

"T'ought  you  only  peaceable  bee-hunter,  just  now,"  re 
torted  the  Chippewa,  a  little  sarcastically. 

By  this  time  le  Bourdon  had  somewhat  cooled,  and  he 
became  conscious  of  his  indiscretion.  He  knew  enough 
of  the  history  of  the  past,  to  be  fully  aware  that,  in  all  pe 
riods  of  American  history,  the  English,  and,  for  that  matter, 
the  French,  too,  so  long  as  they  had  possessions  on  this 
continent,  never  scrupled  about  employing  the  savages  in 
their  conflicts.  It  is  true,  that  these  highly  polished, 
and,  we  may  justly  add,  humane  nations  —  (for  each  is 
out  of  all  question  entitled  to  that  character  in  the  scale 
of  comparative  humanity  as  between  communities,  and 
each,  if  you  will  take  its  own  account  of  the  matter,  stands 
at  the  head  of  civilization  in  this  respect) — would,  notwith 
standing  these  high  claims,  carry  on  their  American  wars 
by  the  agency  of  the  tomahawk,  the  scalping-knife,  and  the 
brand.  Eulogies,  though  pronounced  by  ourselves  on  our- 
selves,  cannot  erase  the  stains  of  blood.  Even  down  to 
the  present  hour,  a  cloud  does  not  obscure  the  political 


THE    OAK     OPENINGS.  37 

atmosphere  between  England  and  America,  that  its  exist 
ence  may  not  be  discovered  on  the  prairies,  by  a  movement 
among  the  Indians.  The  pulse  that  is  to  be  felt  there,  is 
a  sure  indication  of  the  state  of  the  relations  between  the 
parties.  Every  one  knows  that  the  savage,  in  his  warfare, 
slays  both  sexes  and  all  ages ;  that  the  door-post  of  the 
frontier  cabin  is  defiled  by  the  blood  of  the  infant,  whose 
brains  have  been  dashed  against  it ;  and  that  the  smoulder 
ing  ruins  of  log-houses,  oftener  than  not,  cover  the  remains 
of  their  tenants.  But,  what  of  all  that?  Brutus  is  still 
"  an  honourable  man,"  and  the  American,  who  has  not 
this  sin  to  answer  for  among  his  numberless  transgressions, 
is  reviled  as  a  semi-barbarian  !  The  time  is  at  hand,  when 
the  Lion  of  the  West  will  draw  his  own  picture,  too ;  and 
fortunate  will  it  be  for  the  characters  of  some  who  will 
gather  around  the  easel,  if  they  do  not  discover  traces  of 
their  own  lineaments  among  his  labours. 

The  feeling  engendered  by  the  character  of  such  a  war 
fare,  is  the  secret  of  the  deeply-seated  hostility  which  per 
vades  the  breast  of  the  Western  American  against  the  land 
of  his  ancestors.  He  never  sees  the  Times,  and  cares  not 
a  rush  for  the  mystifications  of  the  Quarterly  Review ;  but 
he  remembers  where  his  mother  was  brained,  and  his  father 
or  brother  tortured ;  ay,  and  by  whose  instrumentality  the 
foul  deeds  were  mainly  done.  The  man  of  the  world  can 
understand  that  such  atrocities  may  be  committed,  and  the 
people  of  the  offending  nation  remain  ignorant  of  their 
existence,  and,  in  a  measure,  innocent  of  the  guilt ;  but 
the  sufferer,  in  his  provincial  practice,  makes  no  such  dis 
tinction,  confounding  all  alike  in  his  resentments,  and  in 
cluding  all  that  bear  the  hated  name  in  his  maledictions. 
It  is  a  fearful  thing  to  awaken  the  anger  of  a  nation ;  to 
excite  in  it  a  desire  for  revenge ;  and  thrice  is  that  danger 
magnified,  when  the  people  thus  aroused,  possess  the  ac 
tivity,  the  resources,  the  spirit,  and  the  enterprise  of  the 
Americans.  We  have  been  openly  derided,  and  that  re 
cently,  because,  in  the  fullness  of  our  sense  of  power  and 
sense  of  right,  language  that  exceeds  any  direct  exhibition 
of  the  national  strength,  has  escaped  the  lips  of  legislators, 
and,  perhaps  justly,  has  exposed  them  to  the  imputation  of 
boastful  ness.  That  derision,  however,  will  not  soon  be 
4 


38  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

repeated.  The  scenes  enacting  in  Mexico,  faint  as  they 
are  in  comparison  with  what  would  have  been  seen,  had 
hostilities  taken  another  direction,  place  a  perpetual  gag  in 
the  mouths  of  all  scoffers.  The  child  is  passing  from  the 
gristle  into  the  bone,  and  the  next  generation  will  not  even 
laugh,  as  does  the  present,  at  any  idle  and  ill-considered 
menaces  to  coerce  this  republic ;  strong  in  the  conscious 
ness  of  its  own  power,  it  will  treat  all  such  fanfaronades, 
if  any  future  statesman  should  be  so  ill-advised  as  to  renew 
them,  with  silent  indifference. 

Now,  le  Bourdon  was  fully  aware  that  one  of  the  surest 
pulses  of  approaching  hostilities  between  England  and 
America,  was  to  be  felt  in  the  far  west.  If  the  Indians 
were  in  movement,  some  power  was  probably  behind  the 
scenes  to  set  them  in  motion.  Pigeonswing  was  well  known 
to  him  by  reputation ;  and  there  was  that  about  the  man 
which  awakened  the  most  unpleasant  apprehensions,  and 
he  felt  an  itching  desire  to  learn  all  he  could  from  him, 
without  betraying  any  more  of  his  own  feelings,  if  that 
were  possible. 

"  I  do  not  think  the  British  will  attempt  Mackinaw/' 
Ben  remarked,  after  a  long  pause,  and  a  good  deal  of 
smoking,  had  enabled  him  to  assume  an  air  of  safe  in 
difference. 

"  Got  him,  I  tell  you,"  answered  Pigeonswing,  pointedly 

"Got  what,  Chippewa?" 

"Him — Mac-naw — got  fort  —  got  so'gers  —  got  whole 
island.  Know  dat,  for  been  dere." 

This  was  astounding  news,  indeed  !  The  commanding 
officer  of  that  ill-starred  garrison  could  not  himself  have 
been  more  astonished,  when  he  was  unexpectedly  summoned 
to  surrender  by  an  enemy  who  appeared  to  start  out  of  the 
earth,  than  was  le  Bourdon,  at  hearing  this  intelligence.  To 
western  notions,  Michillimackinac  was  another  Gibraltar, 
although  really  a  place  of  very  little  strength,  and  garri 
soned  by  only  one  small  company  of  regulars.  Still,  habit 
had  given  the  fortress  a  sort  of  sanctity  among  the  adven 
turers  of  that  region;  and  its  fall,  even  in  the  settled  parts 
of  the  country,  sounded  like  the  loss  of  a  province.  It  IB 
now  known  that,  anticipating  the  movements  of  the  Ame 
ricans,  some  three  hundred  whites,  sustained  by  more  than 


THE     OAK    OPENINGS.  39 

twice  that  number  of  Indians,  including  warriors  from 
nearly  every  adjacent  tribe,  had  surprised  the  post  on  the 
17th  of  July,  and  compelled  the  subaltern  in  command, 
with  some  fifty  odd  men,  to  surrender.  This  rapid,  and 
highly  military  measure,  on  the  part  of  the  British,  com 
pletely  cut  off  the  post  of  Chicago,  at  the  head  of  Lake 
Michigan,  leaving  it  isolated,  on  what  was  then  a  very  re 
mote  wilderness.  Chicago,  Mackinac,  and  Detroit,  were 
the  three  grand  stations  of  the  Americans  on  the  upper 
lakes,  and  here  were  two  of  them  virtually  gone  at  a  blow ! 


CHAPTER  III. 


Ho  !  who  's  here  ? 


If  any  thing  that 's  civil,  speak  :  if  savage, 

Take,  or  lend 

Cymbeline. 

NOT  another  syllable  did  le  Bourdon  utter  to  the  Chip- 
pewa,  or  the  Chippewa  to  him,  in  that  sitting,  touching  the 
important  event  just  communicated.  Each  carefully  avoided 
manifesting  any  further  interest  in  the  subject,  but  the 
smoking  continued  for  some  time  after  the  sun  had  set. 
As  the  shades  of  evening  began  to  gather,  the  Pottawatta- 
mie  arose,  shook  the  ashes  from  his  pipe,  gave  a  grunt,  and 
uttered  a  word  or  two,  by  way  of  announcing  his  disposi 
tion  to  retire.  On  this  hint,  Ben  went  into  the  cabin, 
spread  his  skins,  and  intimated  to  his  guests  that  their  beds 
were  ready  for  them.  Few  compliments  pass  among  border 
men  on  such  occasions,  and  one  after  another  dropped  off, 
until  all  were  stretched  on  the  skins  but  the  master  of  the 
place.  He  remained  up  two  hours  later,  ruminating  on 
the  state  of  things;  when,  perceiving  that  the  night  was 
wearing  on,  he  also  found  a  nest,  and  sought  his  repose. 

Nothing  occurred  to  disturb  the  occupants  of  "  Castle 
Meal,"  as  le  Bourdon  laughingly  called  his  cabin,  until  the 
return  of  day.  If  there  were  any  bears  scenting  around 


40  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

the  place,  as  often  occurred  at  night,  their  instinct  must 
have  apprised  them  that  a  large  reinforcement  was  present, 
and  caused  them  to  defer  their  attack  to  a  more  favourable 
opportunity.  The  first  afoot  next  morning  was  the  bee- 
hunter  himself,  who  arose  and  left  his  cabin  just  as  the  ear 
liest  streaks  of  day  were  appearing  in  the  east.  Although 
dwelling  in  a  wilderness,  the  "  openings"  had  not  the  cha 
racter  of  ordinary  forests.  The  air  circulates  freely  be 
neath  their  oaks,  the  sun  penetrates  in  a  thousand  places, 
and  grass  grows,  wild  but  verdant.  There  was  little  of  the 
dampness  of  the  virgin  woods ;  and  the  morning  air,  though 
cool,  as  is  ever  the  case,  even  in  midsummer,  in  regions 
still  covered  with  trees,  was  balmy ;  and,  at  that  particular 
spot,  it  came  to  the  senses  of  le  Bourdon  loaded  with  the 
sweets  of  many  a  wide  glade  of  his  favourite  white  clover 
Of  course,  he  had  placed  his  cabin  near  those  spots  where 
the  insect  he  sought  most  abounded ;  and  a  fragrant  site 
it  proved  to  be,  in  favourable  conditions  of  the  atmosphere. 
Ben  had  a  taste  for  all  the  natural  advantages  of  his  abode, 
and  was  standing  in  enjoyment  of  its  placid  beauties,  when 
some  one  touched  his  elbow.  Turning,  quick  as  thought, 
he  perceived  the  Chippewa  at  his  side.  That  young  Indian 
had  approached  with  the  noiseless  tread  of  his  people,  and 
was  now  anxious  to  hold  a  private  communication  with  him. 

"  Pottawattamie  got  long  ear  —  come  fudder — "  said 
Pigeonswing ;  "  go  cook-house — t'ink  we  want  breakfast." 

Ben  did  as  desired ;  and  the  two  were  soon  side  by  side 
at  the  spring,  in  the  outlet  of  which  they  made  their  ablu 
tions — the  red-skin  being  totally  without  paint.  When  this 
agreeable  office  was  performed,  each  felt  in  better  condi 
tion  for  a  conference. 

"  Elkfoot  got  belt  from  Canada  Fadder,"  commenced 
the  Chippewa,  with  a  sententious  allusion  to  the  British 
propensity  to  keep  the  savages  in  pay.  "Know  he  got  him 
— know  he  keep  him." 

"And  you,  Pigeonswing — by  your  manner  of  talking  1 
had  set  you  down  for  a  King's  Injin,  too." 

"  Talk  so — no  feel  bit  so.     My  heart  Yankee." 

"And  have  you  not  had  a  belt  of  wampum  sent  you,  a» 
well  as  the  rest  of  them  ?" 

"  Dat  true — got  him — don't  keep  him." 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  41 

"  What !  did  you  dare  to  send  it  back  ?" 

'*  An't  fool,  dough  young.  Keep  him ;  no  keep  him. 
Keep  him  for  Canada  Fadder ;  no  keep  him  for  Chippewa 
brave." 

"  What  have  you  then  done  with  your  belt?*'5 

"  Bury  him  where  nobody  find  him  dis  war.  No — 
Waubkenevvh  no  hole  in  heart  to  let  king  in." 

Pigeonswing,  as  this  young  Indian  was  commonly  called 
in  his  tribe,  in  consequence  of  the  rapidity  of  his  move 
ments  when  employed  as  a  runner,  had  a  much  more  re 
spectable  name,  and  one  that  he  had  fairly  earned  in  some 
of  the  forays  of  his  people,  but  which  the  commonalty  had 
just  the  same  indisposition  to  use,  as  the  French  have  to 
call  Marshal  Soult  the  Due  de  Dalmatie.  The  last  may  be 
the  most  honourable  title,  but  it  is  not  that  by  which  he  is 
the  best  known  to  his  countrymen.  Waub-ke-newh  was 
an  appellation,  notwithstanding,  of  which  the  young  Chip 
pewa  was  justly  proud ;  and  he  often  asserted  his  right  to 
use  it,  as  sternly  as  the  ofd  hero  of  Toulouse  asserted  his 
right  to  his  duchy,  when  the  A"ustrians  wished  to  style  him 
"  le  Marechal  Due  Soult." 

"And  you  are  friendly  to  the  yankees,  and  an  enemy  to 
the  red-coats  ?" 

Waubkenewh  grasped  the  hand  of  le  Bourdon,  and 
squeezed  it  firmly.  Then  he  said,  warily — 

"Take  care— Elkfoot  friend  of  Blackbird;  like  to  look 
at  Canada  belt.  Got  medal  of  king,  <:oo.  Have  yankee 
scalp,  bye'm  by.  Take  care — must  spsak  low,  when  Elk- 
foot  near." 

"  I  begin  to  understand  you,  Chippewa :  you  wish  me  to 
believe  that  you  are  a  friend  to  America,  and  that  the  Pot- 
tawattamie  is  not.  If  this  be  so,  why  have  you  held  the 
speech  that  you  did  last  night,  and  seemed  to  be  on  a  war 
path  against  my  countrymen  ?" 

"  Dat  good  way,  eh?  Elkfoot  den  t'ink  me  his  friend — 
dat  very  good  in  war-time." 

"  But  is  it  true,  or  false,  that  Mackinaw  is  taken  by  the 
British?" 

"  Dat,  too  true — gone,  and  warrior  all  prisoner.    Plenty 
Winnebago,  plenty  Pottawattamie,  plenty  Ottowa,  plenty 
red-skin,  dere." 
4* 


42  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

"And  the  Chippewas?" 

"  Some  Ojebway,  too" — answered  Pigeonswing,  after  a 
reluctant  pause.  "  Can't  all  go  on  same  path,  this  war. 
Hatchets,  somehow,  got  two  handle  —  one  strike  yankee : 
one  strike  king  George." 

"  But  what  is  your  business  here,  and  where  are  you 
now  going,  if  you  are  friendly  to  the  Americans.  I  make 
no  secret  of  my  feelings  —  I  am  for  my  own  people,  and  I 
wish  proof  that  you  are  a  friend,  and  not  an  enemy." 

"  Too  many  question,  one  time,"  returned  theChippewa, 
a  little  distastefully.  No  good  have  so  long  tongue.  Ask 
one  question,  answer  him — ask  anoder,  answer  him,  too." 

"  Well,  then,  what  is  your  business,  here  ?" 

"Go  to  Chicago,  for  gen'ral." 

"  Do  you  mean  that  you  bear  a  message  from  some 
American  general  to  the  commandant  at  Chicago?" 

"Just  so — dat  my  business.  Guess  him,  right  off;  he, 
he,  he." 

It  is  so  seldom  that  an  Indian  laughs  that  the  bee-hunter 
was  startled. 

"  Where  is  the  general  who  has  sent  you  on  this  errand  ?" 
he  demanded. 

"  He  at  Detroit — got  whole  army  dere  —  warrior  plenty 
as  oak  in  opening." 

All  this  was  news  to  the  bee-hunter,  and  it  caused  him 
to  muse  a  moment,  ere  he  proceeded. 

"  What  is  the  name  of  the  American  general,  who  has 
sent  you  on  this  path?"  he  then  demanded. 

"  Hell,"  answered  the  Ojebway,  quietly. 

"  Hell !  You  mean  to  give  his  Indian  title,  I  suppose,  to 
show  that  he  will  prove  dangerous  to  the  wicked.  But  how 
is  he  called  in  our  own  tongue  ?" 

"Hell — dat  he  name — good  name  for  sojger,  eh?" 

"I  believe  I  understand  you,  Chippewa  —  Hull  is  the 
name  of  the  governor  of  the  territory,  and  you  must  have 
mistaken  the  sound — is  it  not  so?" 

"  Hull  —  Hell  —  don't  know  — just  same  —  one  good  as 
t'other." 

"  Yes,  one  will  do  as  well  as  the  other,  if  a  body  only 
understands  you.  So  governor  Hull  has  sent  you  here?" 


.HE    OAK    OPENINGS.  43 

"No  gubbernor  —  gen'ral,  tell  you.  Got  big  army  — 
plenty  warrior— eat  Breesh  up !" 

"  Now,  Chippewa,  answer  me  one  thing  to  my  hkm',  or 
i  shall  set  you  down  as  a  man  with  a  forked  tongue,  though 
you  do  call  yourself  a  friend  of  the  yankees.  If  you  have 
been  sent  from  Detroit  to  Chicago,  why  are  you  as  far 
north  as  this?  Why  are  you  here,  on  the  banks  of  the 
Kalamazoo,  when  your  path  ought  to  lead  you  more  to 
wards  the  St.  Joseph's'?" 

"  Been  to  Mackinaw.  Gen'ral  say,  first  go  to  Mackinaw 
and  see  wid  own  eye  how  garrison  do — den  go  to  Chicago, 
and  tell  warrior  dere  what  happen,  and  how  he  best  man 
age.  Understan'  dat,  Bourdon?" 

"Ay,  it  all  sounds  well  enough,  I  will  acknowledge. 
You  have  been  to  Mackinaw  to  look  about  you,  there,  and 
having  seen  things  with  your  own  eyes,  have  started  for 
Chicago  to  give  your  knowledge  to  the  commandant  at 
that  place.  Now,  red-skin,  have  you  any  proof  of  what 
you  say  ?" 

For  some  reason  that  the  bee-hunter  could  not  yet 
fathom,  the  Chippewa  was  particularly  anxious  either  to 
obtain  his  confidence,  or  to  deceive  him.  Which  he  was 
attempting,  was  not  yet  quite  apparent ;  but  that  one  or 
other  was  uppermost  in  his  mind,  Ben  thought  was  beyond 
dispute.  As  soon  as  the  question  last  named  was  put, 
however,  the  Indian  looked  cautiously  around  him,  as  if  to 
be  certain  there  were  no  spectators.  Then  he  carefully 
opened  his  tobacco-pouch,  and  extricated  from  the  centre 
of  the  cut  weed,  a  letter  that  was  rolled  into  the  smallest 
tompass  to  admit  of  this  mode  of  concealment,  and  which 
was  encircled  by  a  thread.  The  last  removed,  the  letter 
was  unrolled,  and  its  superscription  exposed.  The  address 

was  to  "  Captain Heald,  U.  S.  Army,  commanding 

at  Chicago."  In  one  corner  were  the  words  "  on  public 
service,  by  Pigeonswing."  All  this  was  submitted  to  the 
bee-hunter,  who  read  it  with  his  own  eyes. 

"  Dat  good" — asked  the  Chippewa,  pointedly — "  dat  tell 
trut'— b'lieve  him?" 

Le  Bourdon  grasped  the  hand  of  the  Indian,  and  gave  it 
a  hearty  squeeze.  Then  he  said  frankly,  and  like  a  man 
who  no  longer  entertained  any  doubts — 


44  THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

"  I  put  faith  in  all  you  say,  Chippewa.  That  is  an  ofif< 
cer's  letter,  and  I  now  see  that  you  are  on  the  right  side. 
You  play'd  so  deep  a  game,  at  first,  how'sever,  that  I  didn't 
know  exactly  what  to  make  of  you.  Now,  as  for  the  Pot- 
tawattamie  —  do  you  set  him  down  as  friend  or  foe,  in 
reality?" 

"  Enemy — take  your  sculp — take  my  scalp,  in  minute — 
only  can't  catch  him.  He  got  belt  from  Montreal,  and  it 
look  handsome  in  his  eye." 

"  Which  way  d'ye  think  he's  travelling?  As  I  under 
stood  you,  he  and  you  fell  into  the  same  path  within  a  mile 
of  this  very  spot.  Was  the  meeting  altogether  friendly?" 

"  Yes;  friendly — but  ask  too  many  question — too  much 
squaw — ask  one  question,  den  stop  for  answer." 

"  Very  true — I  will  remember  that  an  Indian  likes  to  do 
one  thing  at  a  time.  Which  way,  then,  do  you  think  he's 
travelling?" 

"  Don't  know — on'y  guess — guess  he  on  path  to  Black 
bird." 

"And  where  is  Blackbird,  and  what  is  he  about?" 

"  Two  question,  dat !"  returned  the  Chippewa,  smiling, 
and  holding  up  two  of  his  fingers,  at  the  same  time,  by 
way  of  rebuke.  "  Blackbird  on  war-path  ; — when  warrior 
on  dat  path,  he  take  scalp  if  can  get  him." 

"  But  where  is  his  enemy?  There  are  no  whites  in  this 
part  of  the  country,  but  here  and  there  a  trader,  or  a  trap 
per,  or  a  bee-hunter,  or  a  voyageur." 

"Take  his  scalp  —  all  scalp  good,  in  war  time.  An't 
partic'lar,  down  at  Montreal.  What  you  call  garrison  at 
Chicago  ?" 

"  Blackbird,  you  then  think;  may  be  moving  upon  Chi 
cago.  In  that  case,  Chippewa,  you  should  outrun  thia 
Pottawattamie,  and  reach  the  post  in  time  to  let  its  meT 
know  the  danger." 

"  Start,  as  soon  as  eat  breakfast.  Can't  go  straight, 
nudder,  or  Pottawattamie  see  print  of  moccasin.  Must 
t'row  him  off  trail." 

"  Very  true ;  but  I  '11  engage  you  're  cunning  enough  to 
do  that  twice  over,  should  it  be  necessary." 

Just  then  Gershom  Waring  came  out  of  the  cabin,  gaping 
like  a  hound,  and  stretching  his  arms,  as  if  fairly  wearied 


THE    OAK     OPENINGS.  45 

with  sleep.     At  the  sight  of  this  man  the  Indian  made  a 
gesture  of  caution,  saying,  however,  in  an  under  tone — 

"How  his  heart — Yankee  or  Breesh — love  Montreal, 
eh?  Pretty  good  scalp  !  Love  king  George,  eh T' 

"I  rather  think  not,  but  am  not  certain.  He  is  a  poor 
paleface,  however,  and  it 's  of  no  great  account  how  he 
stands.  His  scalp  would  hardly  be  worth  the  taking,  whe 
ther  by  English  or  American." 

"  Sell,  down  at  Montreal — better  look  out  for  Pottawat- 
tamie.  Don't  like  dat  Injin." 

"We'll  be  on  our  guard  against  him;  and  there  he 
comes,  looking  as  if  his  breakfast  would  be  welcome,  and 
as  if  he  was  already  thinking  of  a  start." 

Le  Bourdon  had  been  busy  with  his  pots,  during  the 
whole  time  this  discourse  was  going  on,  and  had  warmed 
up  a  sufficiency  of  food  to  supply  the  wants  of  all  his  guests. 
In  a  few  minutes  each  was  busy  quietly  eating  his  morn 
ing's  meal,  Gershom  having  taken  his  bitters  aside,  and,  a3 
he  fancied,  unobserved.  This  was  not  so  much  owing  to 
niggardliness,  as  to  a  distrust  of  his  having  a  sufficient 
supply  of  the  liquor  that  long  indulgence  had  made,  in  a 
measuie,  necessary  to  him,  to  last  until  he  could  get  back 
to  the  barrels  that  were  still  to  be  found  in  his  cabin,  down 
on  the  shore  of  the  lake. 

During  the  breakfast  little  was  said,  conversation  form 
ing  no  material  part  of  the  entertainment,  at  the  meals  of 
any  but  the  cultivated.  When  each  had  risen,  however, 
arid  by  certain  preliminary  arrangements  it  was  obvious 
that  the  two  Indians  intended  to  depart,  the  Pottawattamie 
advanced  to  le  Bourdon,  and  thrust  out  a  hand. 

"Thankee"  —  he  said,  in  the  brief  way  in  which  he 
clipped  his  English  —  "Good  supper  —  good  sleep  —  good 
breakfast.  Now,  go.  Thankee — when  any  friend  come  to 
Pottawattamie  village,  good  wigwam  dere,  and  no  door." 

"  I  thank  you,  Elksfoot — and  should  you  pass  this  away, 
ag'in,  soon,  I  hope  you  '11  just  step  into  this  chiente  and 
help  yourself  if  I  should  happen  to  be  off  on  a  hunt.  Good 
luck  to  you,  and  a  happy  sight  of  home." 

The  Pottawattamie  then  turned  and  thrust  out  a  hand  to 
each  of  the  others,  who  met  his  offered  leave-taking  with 
apparent  friendship.  The  bee-hunter  observed  that  neither 


46  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

of  the  Indians  said  anything  to  the  other  touching  the  path 
he  was  about  to  travel,  but  that  each  seemed  ready  to  pur« 
sue  his  own  way  as  if  entirely  independent,  and  without 
the  expectation  of  having  a  companion. 

Elksfoot  left  the  spot  the  first.  After  completing  his 
adieus,  the  Pottawattamie  threw  his  rifle  into  the  hollow 
of  his  arm,  felt  at  his  belt,  as  if  to  settle  it  into  its  place, 
made  some  little  disposition  of  his  light  summer  covering, 
and  moved  off  in  a  south-westerly  direction,  passing  through 
the  open  glades,  and  almost  equally  unobstructed  groves, 
as  steady  in  his  movements  as  if  led  by  an  instinct. 

"  There  he  goes,  on  a  bee-line,"  said  le  Bourdon,  as  the 
straight  form  of  the  old  savage  disappeared  at  length,  be 
hind  a  thicket  of  trees.  "  On  a  bee-line  for  the  St.  Joseph's 
river,  where  he  will  shortly  be,  among  friends  and  neigh 
bours,  I  do  riot  doubt.  What,  Chippewa !  are  you  in  mo 
tion  too?" 

"  Must  go,  now,"  returned  Pigeonswing,  in  a  friendly 
way.  "  Bye'm  by  come  back  and  eat  more  honey — bring 
sweet  news,  hope  —  no  Canada  here,"  placing  a  finger  on 
his  heart — "  all  yankee." 

"God  be  with  you,  Chippewa — God  be  with  you.  We 
shall  have  a  stirring  summer  of  it,  and  I  expect  to  hear  of 
your  name  in  the  wars,  as  of  a  chief  who  knows  no  fear." 

Pigeonswing  waved  his  hand,  cast  a  glance,  half  friendly, 
half  contemptuously,  at  Whiskey  Centre,  and  glided  away. 
The  two  who  remained  standing  near  the  smouldering  fire 
remarked,  that  the  direction  taken  by  the  Chippewa  was 
towards  the  lake,  and  nearly  at  right  angles  to  that  taken 
by  the  Pottawattamie.  They  also  fancied  that  the  move 
ment  of  the  former  was  about  half  as  fast  again  as  that  of 
the  latter.  In  less  than  three  minutes  the  young  Indian 
was  concealed  in  the  "openings,"  though  he  had  to  cross 
a  glade  of  considerable  width  in  order  to  reach  them. 

The  bee-hunter  was  now  alone  with  the  only  one  of  his 
guests  who  was  of  the  colour  and  race  to  which  he  him 
self  belonged.  Of  the  three,  he  was  the  visiter  he  least 
respected;  but  the  dues  of  hospitality  are  usually  sacred  in 
a  wilderness,  and  among  savages,  so  that  he  could  do  no 
thing  to  get  rid  of  him.  As  Gershom  manifested  no  inten 
tion  to  quit  the  place,  le  Bourdon  set  about  the  business  of 


THEOAKOPENINGS.  47 

the  hour,  with  as  much  method  and  coolness  as  if  the  other 
had  not  been  present.  The  first  thing  was  to  bring  home 
trie  honey  discovered  on  the  previous  day ;  a  task  of  no 
light  labour ;  the  distance  it  was  to  be  transported  being  so 
considerable,  and  the  quantity  so  large.  But  our  bee- 
hunter  was  not  without  the  means  of  accomplishing  such 
an  object,  and  he  now  busied  himself  in  getting  ready.  As 
Gershom  volunteered  his  assistance,  together  they  toiled  in 
apparent  amity  and  confidence. 

The  Kalamazoo  is  a  crooked  stream ;  and  it  wound  from 
the  spot  where  le  Bourdon  had  built  his  cabin,  to  a  point 
within  a  hundred  yards  of  the  fallen  tree,  in  which  the  bees 
had  constructed  their  hive.  As  a  matter  of  course,  Ben 
profited  by  this  circumstance  to  carry  his  canoe  to  the  latter 
place,  with  a  view  to  render  it  serviceable  in  transporting 
the  honey.  First  securing  everything  in  and  around  the 
chientg,  he  and  Gershom  embarked,  taking  with  them  no 
less  than  four  pieces  of  fire-arms ;  one  of  which  was,  to 
use  the  language  of  the  west,  a  double-barrelled  "  shot 
gun."  Before  quitting  the  place,  however,  the  bee-hunter 
went  to  a  large  kennel  made  of  logs,  and  let  out  a  mastiff 
of  great  power  and  size.  Between  this  dog  and  himself 
there  existed  the  best  possible  intelligence;  the  master 
having  paid  many  visits  to  the  prisoner  since  his  return, 
feeding  and  caressing  him.  Glad,  indeed,  was  this  fine 
animal  to  be  released,  bounding  back  and  forth,  and  leaping 
about  le  Bourdon  in  a  way  to  manifest  his  delight.  He 
had  been  cared  for  in  his  kennel,  and  well  cared  for,  too; 
but  there  is  no  substitute  for  liberty,  whether  in  man  or 
beast,  individuals  or  communities. 

When  all  was  ready,  le  Bourdon  and  Gershom  got  into 
the  canoe,  whither  the  former  now  called  his  dog,  using 
the  name  of  "  Hive,"  an  appellation  that  was  doubtless  de 
rived  from  his  own  pursuit.  As  soon  as  the  mastiff  leaped 
into  the  canoe,  Ben  shoved  off,  and  the  light  craft  was 
pushed  up  the  stream  by  himself  and  Gershom  without 
much  difficulty,  and  with  considerable  rapidity.  But  little 
drift-wood  choked  the  channel;  and,  after  fifteen  minutes 
of  moderate  labour,  the  two  men  came  near  to  the  point 
of  low  wooded  land,  in  which  the  bee-tree  had  stood.  As 
they  drew  nigh,  certain  signs  of  uneasiness  in  the  dog 


48  THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

attracted  his  master's  attention,  and  he  pointed  them  out 
to  Gershom. 

"  There 's  game  in  the  wind,"  answered  Whiskey  Centre, 
who  had  a  good  knowledge  of  most  of  the  craft  of  border 
life,  notwithstanding  his  ungovernable  propensity  to  drirak, 
and  who,  by  nature,  was  both  shrewd  and  resolute.  "  I 
shouldn't  wonder"—  a  common  expression  of  his  class  — 
"  if  we  found  bears  prowling  about  that  honey  !" 

"  Such  things  have  happened  in  my  time,"  answered  the 
bee-hunter  ;  "  and  twice  in  my  experience  I  've  been  driven 
from  the  field,  and  forced  to  let  the  devils  get  my  'arnin's." 

"  That  was  when  you  had  no  comrade,  stranger,"  re 
turned  Gershom,  raising  a  rifle,  and  carefully  examining 
its  flint  and  its  priming.  "  It  will  be  a  large  family  on  'em 
that  drives  us  from  that  tree ;  for  my  mind  is  made  up  to 
give  Doll  and  Blossom  a  taste  of  the  sweets." 

If  this  was  said  imprudently,  as  respects  ownership  in 
the  prize,  it  was  said  heartily,  so  far  as  spirit  and  determi 
nation  were  concerned.  It  proved  that  Whiskey  Centre 
had  points  about  him  which,  if  not  absolutely  redeeming, 
served  in  some  measure  to  lessen  the  disgust  which  one 
might  otherwise  have  felt  for  his  character.  The  bee- 
hunter  knew  that  there  was  a  species  of  hardihood  that 
belonged  to  border  men  as  the  fruits  of  their  habits,  and, 
apparently,  he  had  all  necessary  confidence  in  Gershom's 
disposition  to  sustain  him,  should  there  be  occasion  for  a 
conflict  with  his  old  enemies. 

The  first  measure  of  the  bee-hunter,  after  landing  and 
securing  his  boat,  was  to  quiet  Hive.  The  animal  being 
under  excellent  command,  this  was  soon  done;  the  mastiff 
maintaining  the  position  assigned  him,  in  the  rear,  though 
evidently  impatient  to  be  let  loose.  Had  not  le  Bourdon 
known  the  precise  position  of  the  fallen  tree,  and  through 
that  the  probable  position  of  his  enemies,  he  would  have 
placed  the  mastiff*  in  advance,  as  a  pioneer  or  scout;  but 
he  deemed  it  necessary,  under  the  actual  circumstances, 
.o  hold  him  as  a  reserve,  or  a  force  to  be  directed  whither 
occasion  might  require.  With  this  arrangement,  then,  le 
Bourdon  and  Whiskey  Centre  advanced,  side  by  side,  each 
carrying  two  pieces,  from  the  margin  of  the  river  towards 
the  open  land  that  commanded  a  view  of  the  tree.  On 


THE    OAK     OPENINGS.  49 

reaching  the  desired  point,  a  halt  was  called,  in  order  to 
reconnoitre. 

The  reader  will  remember  that  the  bee-elm  had  stood  on 
the  edge  of  a  dense  thicket,  or  swamp,  in  which  the  trees 
grew  to  a  size  several  times  exceeding  those  of  the  oaks 
in  the  openings ;  and  le  Bourdon  had  caused  it  to  fall  upon 
the  open  ground,  in  order  to  work  at  the  honey  with  greater 
ease  to  himself.  Consequently,  the  fragments  lay  in  full 
view  of  the  spot  where  the  halt  was  made.  A  little  to 
Gershom's  surprise,  Ben  now  produced  his  spy-glass,  which 
he  levelled  with  much  earnestness  towards  the  tree.  The 
bee-hunter,  however,  well  knew  his  business,  and  was  ex 
amining  into  the  state  of  the  insects  whom  he  had  so  vio 
lently  invaded  the  night  before.  The  air  was  filled  with 
them  flying  above  and  around  the  tree;  a  perfect  cloud  of 
the  little  creatures  hovering  directly  over  the  hole,  as  if  to 
guard  its  treasure. 

"  Waal,"  said  Gershom,  in  his  drawling  way,  when  le 
Bourdon  had  taken  a  long  look  with  the  glass,  "  I  don't 
see  much  use  in  spy-glassin'  in  that  fashion.  Spy-glassin' 
may  do  out  on  the  lake,  if  a  body  has  only  the  tools  to  do 
it  with;  but  here,  in  the  openin's,  natur's  eyes  is  about  as 
good  as  them  a  body  buys  in  the  stores." 

"  Take  a  look  at  them  bees,  and  see  what  a  fret  they're 
in,"  returned  Ben,  handing  the  glass  to  his  companion. 
"As  long  as  I  've  been  in  the  business,  I've  never  seen  a 
colony  in  such  a  fever.  Commonly,  a  few  hours  after  the 
bees  find  that  their  tree  is  down,  and  their  plans  broken  into, 
they  give  it  up,  and  swarm  ;  looking  for  a  new  hive,  and  set 
ting  about  the  making  more  food  for  the  next  winter ;  but, 
here  are  all  the  bees  yet,  buzzing  above  the  hole,  as  if 
they  meant  to  hold  out  for  a  siege." 

"  There  's  an  onaccountable  grist  on  'em" — •  Gershom 
was  never  very  particular  in  his  figures  of  speech,  usually 
terming  anything  in  quantities  a  "grist;"  and  meaning  in 
the  present  instance  by  "  onaccountable,"  a  number  not  to 
be  counted — "  an  onaccountable  grist  on  'em,  1  can  tell 
you,  and  if  you  mean  to  charge  upon  sich  enemies,  you 
must  look  out  for  somebody  besides  Whiskey  Centre  for 
your  van-guard.  What  in  natur'  has  got  into  the  critters! 
They  can't  expect  to  set  that  tree  on  its  legs  ag'in!" 


50  THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

"  Do  you  see  a  flight  of  them  just  in  the  edge  of  the 
forest  —  here,  more  to  the  southward  ?"  demanded  le 
Bourdon. 

"  Sure  enough !  There  is  a  lot  on  'em  there,  too,  and 
they  seem  to  be  comin'  and  goin'  to  the  tree,  like  folks" — • 
Gershorn  would  put  his  noun  of  multitude  into  the  plural, 
Nova-Anglice — "  comin'  and  goin'  like  folks  carryin'  water 
to  a  fire.  A  body  would  think,  by  the  stir  among  'em, 
them  critter's'  barrel  was  empty !" 

"  The  bears  are  there,"  coolly  returned  the  bee-hunter 
"  I  've  seen  such  movements  before,  and  know  how  to  ac 
count  for  them.  The  bears  are  in  the  thicket,  but  don't 
like  to  come  out  in  the  face  of  such  a  colony.  I  have 
heard  of  bears  being  chased  miles  by  bees,  when  their 
anger  was  up !" 

"  Mortality  !  They  have  a  good  deal  of  dander  (dand 
ruff)  for  sich  little  vipers  !  But  what  are  we  to  do,  Bour 
don?  for  Doll  and  Blossom  must  taste  that  honey!  Half's 
mine,  you  know,  and  I  don't  like  to  give  it  up." 

The  bee-hunter  smiled  at  the  coolness  with  which  Ger- 
shom  assigned  to  himself  so  large  a  portion  of  his  property  ; 
though  he  did  not  think  it  worth  his  while,  just  then,  to 
"  demur  to  his  declaration,"  as  the  lawyers  might  have  it. 
There  was  a  sort  of  border  rule,  which  gave  all  present 
equal  shares  in  any  forest  captures;  just  as  vessels  in  sight 
come  in  for  prize-money,  taken  in  time  of  war  by  public 
cruisers.  At  any  rate,  the  honey  of  a  single  tree  was  noV 
of  sufficient  value  to  induce  a  serious  quarrel  about  it.  If 
there  should  be  any  extra  trouble  or  danger  in  securing 
the  present  prize,  every  craft  in  view  might,  fairly  enough, 
come  in  for  its  share. 

"  Doll  shall  not  be  forgotten,  if  we  can  only  house  our 
honey,"  answered  the  bee-hunter;  "nor  Blossom,  neither. 
I  've  a  fancy,  already,  for  that  blossom  of  the  wilderness, 
and  shall  do  all  I  can  to  make  myself  agreeable  to  her.  A 
man  cannot  approach  a  maiden  with  anything  sweeter  than 
honey." 

"  Some  gals  like  sugar'd  words  better;  but,  let  me  tell 
you  one  thing,  strange? — " 

"  You  have  eaten  bread  and  salt  with  me,  Whiskey,  and 
both  are  scarce  articles  in  a  wilderness ;  and  you  've  slept 


THEOAKOPENINGS.  51 

under  my  roof:  is  it  not  almost  time  to  call  rne  something 
else  than  stranger  ?" 

"  Well,  Bourdon,  if  you  prefer  that  name  ;  though  stran 
ger  is  a  name  I  like,  it  has  sich  an  up  and  off  sound  to  it. 
When  a  man  calls  all  he  sees  strangers,  it 's  a  sign  he  don't 
let  the  grass  grow  in  the  road  for  want  of  movin';.  and  a 
movin'  man  for  me,  any  day,  before  your  stationaries.  I 
was  born  on  the  sea-shore,  in  the  Bay  State ;  and  here  I 
am,  up  among  the  fresh-water  lakes,  as  much  nat'ralized 
as  any  muskelunge  that  was  ever  cotch'd  in  Huron,  or 
about  Mackinaw.  If  I  can  believe  my  eyes,  Bourdon, 
there  is  the  muzzle  of  a  bear  to  be  seen,  jist  under  that 
heavy  hemlock — here,  where  the  bees  seem  thickest !" 

"  No  doubt  in  the  world,"  answered  le  Bourdon,  coolly ; 
though  he  had  taken  the  precaution  to  look  to  the  priming 
of  each  of  his  pieces,  as  if  he  expected  there  would  soon 
be  occasion  to  use  them.  "  But  what  was  that  you  were 
about  to  say  concernin'  Blossom  ?  It  would  not  be  civil 
to  the  young  woman  to  overlook  hnr,  on  account  of  a  bear 
or  two." 

"  You  take  it  easy,  stranger — Bourdon,  1  should  say — 
you  take  it  easy !  What  I  was  about  to  say  was  this : 
that  the  whull  lake  country,  and  that 's  a  wide  stretch  to  foot 
it  over,  I  know ;  but,  big  as  it  is,  the  whull  lake  country 
don't  contain  Blossom's  equal.  I  }m  her  brother,  and 
perhaps  ought  to  be  a  little  modest  in  sich  matters;  but  I 
an't  a  bit,  and  let  out  jist  what  I  think.  Blossom  's  a  di'- 
mond,  if  there  be  di'monds  on  'arth." 

"And  yonder  is  a  bear,  if  there  be  bears  on  earth !"  ex 
claimed  le  Bourdon,  who  was  not  a  little  amused  with 
Gershom's  account  of  his  family,  but  who  saw  that  the 
moment  was  now  arrived  when  it  would  be  necessary  to 
substitute  deeds  for  words.  "  There  they  come,  in  a  drove, 
and  they  seem  in  earnest." 

This  was  true  enough.  No  less  than  eight  bears,  half 
of  which,  however,  were  quite  young,  came  tumbling  over 
the  logs,  and  bounding  up  towards  the  fallen  tree,  as  if 
charging  the  citadel  of  the  bees  by  preconcert.  Then 
appearance  was  the  signal  for  a  general  rally  of  the  insects  • 
and  by  the  time  the  foremost  of  the  clumsy  animals  had 


52  THEO  A  K     OPENINGS. 

reached  the  tree,  the  air  above  and  around  him  was  abso 
lutely  darkened  by  the  cloud  of  bees  that  was  collected  to 
defend  their  treasures.  Bruin  trusted  too  much  to  the 
thickness  of  his  hide  and  to  the  defences  with  which  he 
was  provided  by  nature,  besides  being  too  much  incited  by 
the  love  of  honey,  to  regard  the  little  heroes,  but  thrust  his 
nose  in  at  the  hole,  doubtless  hoping  to  plunge  it  at  once 
into  the  midst  of  a  mass  of  the  sweets.  A  growl,  a  start 
backwards,  and  a  flourishing  of  the  fore-paws,  with  sundry 
bites  in  the  air,  at  once  announced  that  he  had  met  with 
greater  resistance  than  he  had  anticipated.  In  a  minute, 
all  the  bears  were  on  their  hind-legs,  beating  the  air  with 
their  fore-paws,  and  nipping  right  and  left  with  their  jaws, 
in  vigorous  combat  with  their  almost  invisible  foes.  In 
stinct  supplied  the  place  of  science,  and  spite  of  the  hides 
and  the  long  hair  that  covered  them,  the  bees  found  the 
means  of  darting  their  stings  into  unprotected  places,  until 
the  quadrupeds  were  fairly  driven  to  rolling  about  on  the 
grass  in  order  to  crush  their  assailants.  This  last  process 
had  some  effect,  a  great  many  bees  being  destroyed  by  the 
energetic  rollings  and  tumblings  of  the  bears;  but,  as  in 
the  tide  of  battle,  the  places  of  those  who  fell  were  imme 
diately  supplied  by  fresh  assailants,  until  numbers  seemed 
likely  to  prevail  over  power,  if  not  over  discipline.  At  this 
critical  instant,  when  the  bears  seemed  fatigued  with  their 
nearly  frantic  saltations,  and  violent  blows  upon  nothing, 
le  Bourdon  deemed  it  wise  to  bring  his  forces  into  the  com 
bat.  Gershom  having  been  apprised  of  the  plan,  both  fired 
at  the  same  instant.  Each  ball  took  effect ;  one  killing  the 
largest  of  all  the  bears,  dead  on  the  spot,  while  the  other 
inflicted  a  grievous  wound  on  a  second.  This  success  was 
immediately  followed  by  a  second  discharge,  wounding  two 
more  of  the  enemy,  while  Ben  held  the  second  bairel  of  his 
"shot-gun"  in  reserve.  While  the  hurt  animals  weie  hob 
bling  off,  the  men  reloaded  their  pieces ;  and  by  the  time 
the  last  were  ready  to  advance  on  the  enemy,  the  ground 
was  cleared  of  bears  and  bees  alike,  only  two  of  the  former 
remaining,  of  which  one  was  already  dead  and  the  other 
dying.  As  for  the  bees,  they  followed  their  retreating 
enemies  in  a  body,  making  a  mistake  that  sometimes  hap 
pens  to  still  more  intelligent  beings;  that  of  attributing  to 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  53 

themselves,  and  their  own  prowess,  a  success  that  had  been 
gained  by  others. 

The  bee-hunter  and  his  friend  now  set  themselves  at 
work  to  provide  a  reception  for  the  insects,  the  return  of 
which  might  shortly  be  expected.  The  former  lighted  a 
fire,  being  always  provided  with  the  means,  while  Gershom 
brought  dry  wood.  In  less  than  five  minutes  a  bright  blaze 
was  gleaming  upwards;  and  when  the  bees  returned,  as 
most  of  them  soon  did,  they  found  this  new  enemy  entrench 
ed,  as  it  might  be,  behind  walls  of  flame.  Thousands  of 
the  little  creatures  perished  by  means  of  this  new  invention 
of  man,  and  the  rest  soon  after  were  led  away  by  their 
chiefs  to  seek  some  new  deposit  for  the  fruits  of  their  in 
dustry. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

The  sad  butterfly, 

Waving  his  lacker'd  wings,  darts  quickly  on, 
And,  by  his  free  flight,  counsels  us  to  speed 
For  better  lodgings,  and  a  scene  more  sweet, 
Than  these  dear  borders  offer  us  to-night. 

SIMMS. 

IT  was  noon  before  Ben  and  Gershom  dared  to  commence 
the  process  of  cutting  and  splitting  the  tree,  in  order  to 
obtain  the  honey.  Until  then,  the  bees  lingered  around 
their  fallen  hive,  and  it  would  have  been  dangerous  to 
venture  beyond  the  smoke  and  heat,  in  order  to  accom 
plish  the  task.  It  is  true,  le  Bourdon  possessed  several 
secrets,  of  more  or  less  virtue,  to  drive  off  the  bees  when 
disposed  to  assault  him,  but  no  one  that  was  as  certain  as 
a  good  fire,  backed  by  a  dense  column  of  vapour.  Various 
plants  are  thought  to  be  so  offensive  to  the  insects,  that 
they  avoid  even  their  odour ;  and  the  bee-hunter  had  faith 
in  one  or  two  of  them  ;  but  none  of  the  right  sort  happened 
now  to  be  near,  and  he  was  obliged  to  trust,  first  to  a 
powerful  heat,  and  next  to  the  vapour  of  damp  wood. 

As  there  were  axes,  and  wedges,  and  a  beetle  in  the 
5* 


54  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

canoe,  and  Gershom  was  as  expert  with  those  implements 
as  a  master  of  fencing  is  with  his  foil,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
skill  of  le  Bourdon,  the  tree  was  soon  laid  open,  and  its 
ample  stores  of  sweets  exposed.  In  the  course  of  the  after 
noon  the  honey  was  deposited  in  kegs,  the  kegs  were  trans 
ferred  to  the  canoe,  and  the  whole  deposited  in  the  chient£. 
The  day  had  been  one  of  toil,  and  when  our  two  border- 
men  sat  down  near  the  spring,  to  take  their  evening  meal, 
each  felt  glad  that  his  work  was  done. 

"I  believe  this  must  be  the  last  hive  I  line,  this  sum 
mer,"  said  le  Bourdon,  while  eating  his  supper.  "My 
Juck  has  been  good  so  far,  but  in  troublesome  times  one 
had  better  not  be  too  far  from  home.  I  am  surprised, 
Waring,  that  you  have  ventured  so  far  from  your  family, 
while  the  tidings  are  so  gloomy." 

"That's  partly  because  you  don't  know  me,  and  partly 
because  you  don't  know  Dolly.  As  for  leaving  hum,  with 
any  body  to  kear  for  it,  I  should  like  to  know  who  is  more 
to  the  purpose  than  Dolly  Waring?  I  haven't  no  idee  that 
even  bees  would  dare  get  upon  her!  If  they  did,  they'd 
soon  get  the  worst  on't.  Her  tongue  is  all-powerful,  to 
say  nawthin'  of  her  arm ;  and  if  the  so'gers  can  only  handle 
their  muskets  as  she  can  handle  a  broom,  there  is  no  need 
of  new  regiments  to  carry  on  this  war." 

Now,  nothing  could  be  more  false  than  this  character ; 
but  a  drunkard  has  little  regard  to  what  he  says. 

"  I  am  glad  your  garrison  is  so  strong,"  answered  the 
bee-hunter,  thoughtfully ;  "  but  mine  is  too  weak  to  stay 
any  longer,  out  here  in  the  openings.  Whiskey  Centre,  I 
intend  to  break  up,  and  to  return  to  the  settlements,  before 
the  red-skins  break  loose,  in  earnest.  If  you  will  stay,  and 
lend  me  a  hand  to  embark  the  honey  and  stores,  and  help 
to  carry  the  canoe  down  the  river,  you  shall  be  well  paid 
for  your  trouble." 

"  Waal,  I'd  about  as  lief  do  that,  as  do  anything  else. 
Good  jobs  is  scarce,  out  here  in  the  wilderness,  and  when 
a  body  lights  of  one,  he  ought  to  profit  by  it.  I  come  up 
here  thinkin'  to  meet  you,  for  I  heer'n  tell  from  a  voyage! 
that  you  was  a-beeing  it,  out  in  the  openin's,  and  there  'a 
nawthin'  in  natur'  that  Dolly  takes  too  with  a  greater  re 
lish  than  good  wild  honey.  Try  whiskey,'  I  've  tcld  her 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  55 

a  thousand  times,  '  and  you  Ml  soon  get  to  like  that  bettei 
than  all  the  rest  of  creation ;'  but  not  a  drop  could  1  ever 
get  her,  or  Blossom,  to  swallow.  It's  true,  that  leaves  so 
much  the  more  for  me;  but  I'm  a  companionable  crittur', 
and  don't  think  I've  drunk  as  much  as  I  want,  unless! 
take  it  society-like.  That's  one  reason  I've  taken  so 
mightily  to  you,  Bourdon  ;  you  're  not  much  at  a  pull,  but 
you  an't  downright  afeard  of  a  jug,  neither." 

The  bee-hunter  was  glad  to  hear  that  all  the  family  had 
not  this  man's  vice,  for  he  now  plainly  foresaw  that  the 
accidents  of  his  position  must  bring  him  and  these  strangers 
much  in  contact,  for  some  weeks,  at  least.  Le  Bourdon, 
though  not  absolutely  *  afraid  of  a  jug,'  as  Whiskey  Centre 
had  expressed  it,  was  decidedly  a  temperate  man ;  drink 
ing  but  seldom,  and  never  to  excess.  He  too  well  knew 
the  hazards  by  which  he  was  surrounded,  to  indulge  in 
this  way,  even  had  he  the  taste  for  it ;  but  he  had  no  taste 
that  way,  one  small  jug  of  brandy  forming  his  supply  for  a 
whole  season.  In  these  days  of  exaggeration  in  all  things, 
exaggeration  in  politics,  in  religion,  in  temperance,  in  vir 
tue,  and  even  in  education,  by  putting  '  new  wine  into  old 
bottles,'  that  one  little  jug  might  have  sufficed  to  give  him 
a  bad  name;  but  five-and-thirty  years  ago  men  had  more 
real  independence  than  they  now  possess,  and  were  not  as 
much  afraid  of  that  croquemitaine,  public  opinion,  as  they 
are  to-day.  To  be  sure,  it  was  little  to  le  Bourdon's  taste 
to  make  a  companion  of  such  a  person  as  Whiskey  Centre ; 
but  there  was  no  choice.  The  man  was  an  utter  stranger 
to  him  ;  and  the  only  means  he  possessed  of  making  sure 
that  he  did  not  carry  o|f  the  property  that  lay  so  much  at 
his  mercy,  was  by  keeping  near  him.  With  many  men,  the 
bee-hunter  would  have  been  uneasy  at  being  compelled  to 
remain  alone  with  them  in  the  woods;  for  cases  in  which 
one  had  murdered  another,  in  order  to  get  possession  of 
the  goods,  in  these  remote  regions,  were  talked  of  among 
the  other  rumours  of  the  borders ;  but  Gershom  had  that 
in  his  air  and  manner  that  rendered  Ben  confident  his  de 
linquencies,  at  the  most,  would  scarcely  reach  bloodshed. 
Pilfer  he  might ;  but  murder  was  a  crime  which  he  did  not 
uppear  at  all  likely  to  commit. 

After  supping  in  company,  our  two  adventurers  secured 


56  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

everything ;  and,  retiring  to  the  chientg,  they  went  to  sJeep, 
No  material  disturbance  occurred,  but  the  night  passed  in 
tranquillity,-  the  bee-hunter  merely  experiencing  some  slight 
interruption  to  his  slumbers,  from  the  unusual  circumstance 
of  having  a  companion.  One  as  long  accustomed  to  be 
^lone  as  himself,  would  naturally  submit  to  some  such  sen 
sation,  our  habits  getting  so  completely  the  mastery,  as 
<*ften  to  supplant  even  nature. 

The  following  morning  the  bee-hunter  commenced  his 
preparations  for  a  change  of  residence.  Had  he  not  been 
discovered,  it  is  probable  that  the  news  received  from  the 
Chippewa  would  not  have  induced  him  to  abandon  his 
present  position,  so  early  in  the  season ;  but  he  thought 
the  risk  of  remaining  was  too  great,  under  all  the  circum 
stances.  The  Pottawattamie,  in  particular,  was  a  subject 
of  great  distrust  to  him,  and  he  believed  it  highly  possible 
some  of  that  old  chief's  tribe  might  be  after  his  scalp  ere 
many  suns  had  risen.  Gershom  acquiesced  in  these  opinions, 
and,  as  soon  as  his  brain  was  less  under  the  influence  of 
liquor  than  was  common  with  him,  he  appeared  to  be  quite 
happy  in  having  it  in  his  power  to  form  a  species  of  alli 
ance,  offensive  and  defensive,  with  a  man  of  his  own  colour 
and  origin.  Great  harmony  now  prevailed  between  the 
two,  Gershom  improving  vastly  in  all  the  better  qualities, 
the  instant  his  intellect  and  feelings  got  to  be  a  little  re 
leased  from  the  thraldom  of  the  jug.  His  own  immediate 
store  of  whiskey  was  quite  exhausted,  and  le  Bourdon  kept 
the  place  in  which  his  own  small  stock  of  brandy  was  se 
cured,  a  profound  secret.  These  glimmerings  of  returning 
intellect,  and  of  reviving  principles,  are  by  no  means  un 
usual  with  the  sot,  thus  proving  that  "  so  long  as  there  is 
life,  there  is  hope,"  for  the  moral,  as  well  as  for  the  physi 
cal  being.  What  was  a  little  remarkable,  Gershom  grew 
less  vulgar,  even  in  his  dialect,  as  he  grew  more  sober, 
showing  that  in  all  respects  he  was  becoming  a  greatly 
improved  person. 

The  men  were  several  hours  in  loading  the  canoe,  not 
only  all  the  stores  and  ammunition,  but  all  the  honey  being 
transferred  to  it.  The  bee-hunter  had  managed  to  conceaS 
his  jug  of  brandy,  reduced  by  this  time  to  little  more  than 
a  quart,  within  an  empty  powder-keg,  into  which  he  had 


THEOAKOPENINGS.  57 

crammed  a  beaver-skin  or  two,  that  he  had  taken,  as  it 
might  bo  incidentally,  in  the  course  of  his  rambles.  At 
length  everything  was  removed  and  stowed  in  its  proper 
place,  on  board  the  capacious  canoe,  and  Gershom  expected 
an  announcement  on  the  part  of  Ben,  of  his  readiness  to 
embark.  But  there  still  remained  one  duty  to  perform. 
The  bee-hunter  had  killed  a  buck  only  the  day  before  the 
opening  of  our  narrative,  and  shouldering  a  quarter,  he 
had  left  the  remainder  of  the  animal  suspended  from  the 
branches  of  a  tree,  near  the  place  where  it  had  been  shot 
and  cleaned.  As  venison  might  be  needed  before -they 
could  reach  the  mouth  of  the  river,  Ben  deemed  it  advisable 
that  he  and  Gershom  should  go  and  bring  in  the  remainder 
of  the  carcase.  The  men  started  on  this  undertaking  ac 
cordingly,  leaving  the  canoe  about  two  in  the  afternoon. 

The  distance  between  the  spot  where  the  deer  had  been 
killed,  and  the  chientg,  was  about  three  miles ;  which  was 
the  reason  why  the  bee-hunter  had  not  brought  home  the 
entire  animal,  the  day  he  killed  it ;  the  American  woods 
man  often  carrying  his  game  great  distances  in  preference 
to  leaving  it  any  length  of  time  in  the  forest.  In  the  latter 
case  there  is  always  danger  from  beasts  of  prey,  which  are 
drawn  from  afar  by  the  scent  of  blood.  Le  Bourdon  thought 
it  possible  they  might  now  encounter  wolves ;  though  he 
had  left  the  carcase  of  the  deer  so  suspended  as  to  place  it 
beyond  the  reach  of  most  of  the  animals  of  the  wilderness. 
Each  of  the  men,  however,  carried  a  rifle ;  and  Hive  was 
allowed  to  accompany  them,  by  an  act  of  grace  on  the  part 
of  his  master. 

For  the  first  half  hour,  nothing  occurred  out  of  the  usual 
course  of  events.  The  bee-hunter  had  been  conversing 
freely  with  his  companion,  who,  he  rejoiced  to  find,  mani 
fested  far  more  common  sense,  not  to  say  good  sense,  than 
he  had  previously  shown  ;  and  from  whom  he  was  deriving 
information  touching  the  number  of  vessels,  and  the  other 
movements  on  the  lakes,  that  he  fancied  might  be  of  use 
to  himself  when  he  started  for  Detroit.  While  thus  en 
gaged,  and  when  distant  only  a  hundred  rods  from  the  place 
where  he  had  left  the  venison,  le  Bourdon  was  suddenly 
struck  with  the  movements  of  the  dog.  Instead  of  dou 
bling  on  his  own  tracks,  and  scenting  right  and  left,  as  was 


58  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

the  animal's  wont,  he  was  now  advancing  cautiously,  with 
his  head  low,  seemingly  feeling  his  way  with  his  nose,  as 
if  there  was  a  strong  taint  in  the  wind. 

"  Sartain  as  my  name  is  Gershom,"  exclaimed  Waring, 
just  after  he  and  Ben  had  come  to  a  halt,  in  order  to  look 
around  them — "  yonder  is  an  Injin  !  The  crittur'  is  seated 
at  the  foot  of  the  large  oak — hereaway,  more  to  the  right 
of  the  dog,  and  Hive  has  struck  his  scent.  The  fellow  is 
asleep,  with  his  rifle  across  his  lap,  and  can't  have  much 
dread  of  wolves  or  bears !" 

"  I  see  him,"  answered  le  Bourdon,  "  and  am  as  much 
surprised  as  grieved  to  find  him  there.  It  is  a  little  re 
markable  that  I  should  have  so  many  visiters,  just  at  this 
time,  on  my  hunting-ground,  when  I  never  had  any  at  all 
before  yesterday.  It  gives  a  body  an  uncomfortable  feeling, 
Waring,  to  live  so  much  in  a  crowd !  Well,  well — I  'm  about 
to  move,  and  it  will  matter  little  twenty-four  hours  hence." 

"  The  chap  's  a  Winnebagoe  by  his  paint,"  added  Ger- 
shom — "  but  let 's  go  up  and  give  him  a  call." 

The  bee-hunter  assented  to  this  proposal,  remarking  as 
they  moved  forward,  that  he  did  not  think  the  stranger  of 
the  tribe  just  named ;  though  he  admitted  that  the  use  of 
paint  was  so  general  and  loose  among  these  warriors,  as  to 
render  it  difficult  to  decide. 

"  The  crittur'  sleeps  soundly !"  exclaimed  Gershom, 
stopping  within  ten  yards  of  the  Indian,  to  take  another 
look  at  him. 

"He'll  never  awake;"  put  in  the  bee-hunter,  solemnly 
— «  the  man  is  dead.  See ;  there  is  blood  on  the  side  of 
his  head,  and  a  rifle-bullet  has  left  its  hole  there." 

Even  while  speaking,  the  bee-hunter  advanced,  and  rais 
ing  a  sort  of  shawl,  that  once  had  been  used  as  an  orna 
ment,  and  which  had  last  been  thrown  carelessly  over  the 
head  of  its  late  owner,  he  exposed  the  well-known  features 
of  Elksfoot,  the  Pottawattamie,  who  had  left  them  little 
more  than  twenty-four  hours  before !  The  warrior  had 
been  shot  by  a  rifle-bullet  directly  through  the  temple,  and 
had  been  scalped.  The  powder  had  been  taken  from  his 
horn,  and  the  bullets  from  his  pouch ;  but,  beyond  this,  he 
had  not  been  plundered.  The  body  was  carefully  placed 
against  a  tree,  in  a  sitting  attitude,  the  rifle  was  laid  across 


THE    OAK     OPENINGS.  59 

its  legs,  and  there  it  had  been  left,  in  the  centre  of  the 
openings,  to  become  food  for  beasts  of  prey,  and  to  have 
its  bones  bleached  by  the  snows  and  the  rains ! 

The  bee-hunter  shuddered,  as  he  gazed  at  this  fearful 
memorial  of  the  violence,  against  which  even  a  wilderness 
could  afford  no  sufficient  protection.  That  Pigeonswing 
had  slain  his  late  fellow-guest,  le  Bourdon  had  no  doubt, 
and  he  sickened  at  the  thought.  Although  he  had  himself 
dreaded  a  good  deal  from  the  hostility  of  the  Pottawatta- 
mie,  he  could  have  wished  this  deed  undone.  That  there 
was  a  jealous  distrust  of  each  other  between  the  two  In 
dians  had  been  sufficiently  apparent ;  but  the  bee-hunter 
could  not  have  imagined  that  it  would  so  soon  lead  to  re 
sults  as  terrible  as  these ! 

After  examining  the  body,  and  noting  the  state  of  things 
around  it,  the  men  proceeded,  deeply  impressed  with  the 
necessity,  not  only  of  their  speedy  removal,  but  of  their 
standing  by  each  other  in  that  remote  region,  now  that  vio 
lence  had  so  clearly  broken  out  among  the  tribes.  The 
bee-hunter  had  taken  a  strong  liking  to  the  Chippewa,  and 
he  regretted  so  much  the  more  to  think  that  he  had  done 
this  deed.  It  was  true,  that  such  a  state  of  things  might 
exist  as  to  justify  an  Indian  warrior,  agreeably  to  his  own 
notions,  in  taking  the  life  of  any  one  of  a  hostile  tribe ;  but 
le  Bourdon  wished  it  had  been  otherwise.  A  man  of  gentle 
and  peaceable  disposition  himself,  though  of  a  profoundly 
enthusiastic  temperament  in  his  own  peculiar  way,  he  had 
ever  avoided  those  scenes  of  disorder  and  bloodshed,  which 
are  of  so  frequent  occurrence  in  the  forest  and  on  the  prai 
ries  ;  and  this  was  actually  the  first  instance  in  which  he 
had  ever  beheld  a  human  body  that  had  fallen  by  human 
hands.  Gershom  had  seen  more  of  the  peculiar  life  of  the 
frontiers  than  his  companion,  in  consequence  of  having 
lived  so  closely  in  contact  with  the  "  fire-water ;"  but  even 
he  was  greatly  shocked  with  the  suddenness  and  nature  of 
the  Pottawattamie's  end. 

No  attempt  was  made  to  bury  the  remains  of  Elksfoot, 
inasmuch  as  our  adventurers  had  no  tools  fit  for  such  a 
purpose,  and  any  merely  superficial  interment  would  have 
been  a  sort  of  invitation  to  the  wolves  to  dig  the  body  up 


60  THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

"Let  him  lean  ag'in  the  tree,"  said  Waring,  as  they 
moved  on  towards  the  spot  where  the  carcass  of  the  deer 
was  left,  "  and  I  '11  engage  nothin'  touches  him.  There  's 
that  about  the  face  of  man,  Bourdon,  that  skears  the  beasts ; 
and  if  a  body  can  only  muster  courage  to  stare  them  full 
in  the  eye,  one  single  human  can  drive  before  him  a  whult 
pack  of  wolves." 

"  I  've  heard  as  much,"  returned  the  bee-hunter,  "  but 
should  not  like  to  be  the  'human'  to  try  the  experiment. 
That  the  face  of  man  may  have  terrors  for  a  beast,  I  think 
likely  ;  .but  hunger  would  prove  more  than  a  match  for  such 
fear.  Yonder  is  our  venison,  Waring ;  safe  where  I  left  it.'r 

The  carcase  of  the  deer  was  divided,  and  each  man 
shouldering  his  burthen,  the  two  returned  to  the  river? 
taking  care  to  avoid  the  path  that  led  by  the  body  of  the 
dead  Indian.  As  both  laboured  with  much  earnestness, 
everything  was  soon  ready,  and  the  canoe  speedily  left  the 
shore.  The  Kalamazoo  is  not  in  general  a  swift  and  tur 
bulent  stream,  though  it  has  a  sufficient  current  to  carry 
away  its  waters  without  any  appearance  of  sluggishness. 
Of  course,  this  character  is  not  uniform,  reaches  occurring 
in  which  the  placid  water  is  barely  seen  to  move;  and 
others,  again,  are  found,  in  which  something  like  rapids, 
and  even  falls,  appear.  But,  on  the  whole,  and  more 
especially  in  the  part  of  the  stream  where  it  was,  the  canoe 
had  little  to  disturb  it,  as  it  glided  easily  down,  impelled 
by  a  light  stroke  of  the  paddle. 

The  bee-hunter  did  not  abandon  his  station  without  re* 
gret.  He  had  chosen  a  most  agreeable  site  for  his  chientg, 
consulting  air,  shade,  water,  verdure,  and  groves,  as  well 
as  the  chances  of  obtaining  honey.  In  his  reguhr  pursuit 
he  had  been  unusuaHy  fortunate ;  and  the  little  pile  of  kegs 
in  the  centre  of  his  canoe  was  certainly  a  grateful  sight  to- 
his  eyes.  The  honey  gathered  this  season,  moreover,  had 
proved  to  be  of  an  unusually  delicious  flavour,  affording 
the  promise  of  high  prices  and  ready  sales.  Still,  the  bee- 
hunter  left  the  place  with  profound  regret.  He  loved  his 
calling;  he  loved  solitude  to  a  morbid  degree,  perhaps; 
and  he  loved  the  gentle  excitement  that  naturally  attended 
his  "  bee-lining,"  his  discoveries,  and  his  gains.  Of  alJ 
the  pursuits  that  are  more  ot  less  dependent  on  the  chances 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  61 

of  the  hunt  and  the  field,  that  of  the  bee-hunter  is  of  the 
most  quiet  and  placid  enjoyment.  He  has  the  stirring  mo 
tives  of  uncertainty  and  doubt,  without  the  disturbing  qua 
lities  of  bustle  and  fatigue ;  and,  while  his  exercise  is  suffi 
cient  for  health,  and  for  the  pleasures  of  the  open  air,  it  is 
seldom  of  a  nature  to  weary  or  unnerve.  Then  the  study 
of  the  little  animal  that  is  to  be  watched,  and  if  the  reader 
will,  plundered,  is  not  without  a  charm  for  those  who  de 
light  in  looking  into  the  wonderful  arcana  of  nature.  So 
great  was  the  interest  that  le  Bourdon  sometimes  felt  in  his 
little  companions,  that,  on  three  several  occasions  that  very 
summer,  he  had  spared  hives  after  having  found  them,  be 
cause  he  had  ascertained  that  they  were  composed  of  young 
bees,  and  had  not  yet  got  sufficiently  colonized,  to  render 
a  new  swarming  more  than  a  passing  accident.  With  all 
this  kindness  of  feeling  towards  his  victims,  Boden  had 
nothing  of  the  transcendental  folly  that  usually  accompa 
nies  the  sentimentalism  of  the  exaggerated,  but  his  feelings 
and  impulses  were  simple  and  direct,  though  so  often  gentle 
and  humane.  He  knew  that  the  bee,  like  all  the  other  in 
ferior  animals  of  creation,  was  placed  at  the  disposition  of 
man,  and  did  not  scruple  to  profit  by  the  power  thus  bene 
ficently  bestowed,  though  he  exercised  it  gently,  and  with 
a  proper  discrimination  between  its  use  and  its  abuse. 

Neither  of  the  men  toiled  much,  as  the  canoe  floated 
down  the  stream.  Very  slight  impulses  served  to  give  their 
buoyant  craft  a  reasonably  swift  motion,  and  the  current 
itself  was  a  material  assistant.  These  circumstances  gave 
an  opportunity  for  conversation,  as  the  canoe  glided  on 
ward. 

"  A'ter  all,"  suddenly  exclaimed  Waring,  who  had  been 
examining  the  pile  of  kegs  for  some  time  in  silence — "  a'ter 
all,  Bourdon,  your  trade  is  an  oncommori  one !  A  most 
extr'ornary  and  oncommon  callin' !" 

"  More  so,  think  you,  Gershom,  than  swallowing  whiskey, 
morning,  noon,  and  night?"  answered  the  bee-hunter,  with 
a  quiet  smile. 

"  Ay,  but  that 's  not  a  rig'lar  callin' ;  only  a  likin' !   Now 
a  man  may  have  a  likin'  to  a  hundred  things  in  which  he 
don't  deal.    I  set  nothin'  down  as  a  business,  which  a  man 
don't  live  by." 
-  6 


02  THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

"  Perhaps  you  }re  right,  Waring.  More  die  by  whiskey 
than  live  by  whiskey." 

Whiskey  Centre  seemed  struck  with  this  remark,  which 
was  introduced  so  aptly,  and  was  uttered  so  quietly.  He 
gazed  earnestly  at  his  companion  for  near  a  minute,  ere  he 
attempted  to  resume  the  discourse. 

"  Blossom  has  often  said  as  much  as  this,"  he  then  slowly 
rejoined;  "  arid  even  Dolly  has  prophesized  the  same.'' 

The  bee-hunter  observed  that  an  impression  had  been 
made,  and  he  thought  it  wisest  to  let  the  reproof  already 
administered  produce  its  effect,  without  endeavouring  to 
add  to  its  power.  Waring  sat  with  his  chin  on  his  breast, 
in  deep  thought,  while  his  companion,  for  the  first  time 
since  they  had  met,  examined  the  features  and  aspect  of 
the  man.  At  first  sight,  Whiskey  Centre  certainly  offered 
little  that  was  inviting;  but  a  closer  study  of  his  counte 
nance  showed  that  he  had  the  remains  of  a  singularly 
handsome  man.  Vulgar  as  were  his  forms  of  speech,  coarse 
and  forbidding  as  his  face  had  become,  through  the  in 
dulgence  which  was  his  bane,  there  were  still  traces  of  this 
truth.  His  complexion  had  once  been  fair  almost  to  effe 
minacy,  his  cheeks  ruddy  with  health,  and  his  blue  eye 
bright  and  full  of  hope.  His  hair  was  light;  and  all  these 
peculiarities  strongly  denoted  his  Saxon  origin.  It  was  not  so 
much  Anglo-Saxon  as  Americo-Saxon,  that  was  to  be  seen  in 
the  physical  outlines  and  hues  of  this  nearly  self-destroyed 
being.  The  heaviness  of  feature,  the  ponderousness  of 
limb  and  movement,  had  all  long  disappeared  from  his  race, 
most  probably  under  the  influence  of  climate,  and  his  nose 
was  prominent  and  graceful  in  outline,  while  his  mouth 
and  chin  might  have  passed  for  having  been  under  the 
chisel  of  some  distinguished  sculptor.  It  was,  in  truth, 
painful  to  examine  that  face,  steeped  as  it  was  in  liquor, 
and  fast  losing  the  impress  left  by  nature.  As  yet,  the 
body  retained  most  of  its  power,  the  enemy  having  insidi 
ously  entered  the  citadel,  rather  than  having  actually  sub 
dued  it.  The  bee-hunter  sighed  as  he  gazed  at  his  moody 
companion,  and  wondered  whether  Blossom  had  aught  of 
this  marvellous  comeliness  of  countenance,  without  its  re» 
volting  accompaniments. 

All  that  afternoon,  and  the  whole  of  the  night  that  sue* 


THE    OAK     OPENINGS.  63 

ceeded,  did  the  canoe  float  downward  with  the  current. 
Occasionally,  some  slight  obstacle  to  its  progress  would 
present  itself;  but,  on  the  whole,  its  advance  was  steady 
and  certain.  As  the  river  necessarily  followed  the  forma 
tion  of  the  land,  it  was  tortuous  and  irregular  in  its  course, 
though  its  general  direction  was  towards  the  north-west, 
or  west  a  little  northerly.  The  river-bottoms  being  much 
more  heavily  '  timbered' — to  use  a  woodsman  term — than 
the  higher  grounds,  there  was  little  of  the  park-like  'open 
ings'  on  its  immediate  banks,  though  distant  glimpses  were 
had  of  many  a  glade  and  of  many  a  charming  grove. 

As  the  canoe  moved  towards  its  point  of  destination,  the 
conversation  did  not  lag  between  the  bee-hunter  and  his 
companion.  Each  gave  the  other  a  sort  of  history  of  his 
life;  for.  now  that  the  jug  was  exhausted,  Gershom  could 
talk  not  only  rationally,  but  with  clearness  and  force.  Vul 
gar  he  was,  and,  as  such,  uninviting  and  often  repulsive; 
still  his  early  education  partook  of  that  peculiarity  of  New 
England  which,  if  it  do  not  make  her  children  absolutely 
all  they  ?re  apt  to  believe  themselves  to  be,  seldom  leaves 
them  in  the  darkness  of  a  besotted  ignorance.  As  usually 
happens  with  this  particular  race,  Gershom  had  acquired  a 
good  deal  for  a  man  of  his  class  in  life;  and  this  informa 
tion,  added  to  native  shrewdness,  enabled  him  to  maintain 
his  place  in  the  dialogue  with  a  certain  degree  of  credit. 
He  had  a  very  lively  perception  —  fancied  or  real  —  of  all 
the  advantages  of  being  born  in  the  land  of  the  puritans, 
deeming  everything  that  came  of  the  great  "  Blarney  Stone" 
superior  to  everything  else  of  the  same  nature  elsewhere; 
and,  while  much  disposed  to  sneer  and  rail  at  all  other 
parts  of  the  country,  just  as  much  indisposed  to  "  take," 
as  disposed  to  "  give."  Ben  Boden  soon  detected  this  weak 
ness  in  his  companion's  character,  a  weakness  so  very 
general  as  scarce  to  need  being  pointed  out  to  any  ob 
servant  man,  and  which  is  almost  inseparable  from  half 
way  intelligence  and  provincial  self-admiration;  and  Ben 
was  rather  inclined  to  play  on  it,  whenever  Gershom  laid 
himself  a  little  more  open  than  common,  on  the  subject. 
On  the  whole,  however,  the  communications  were  amica 
ble  ;  and  the  dangers  of  the  wilderness  rendering  the  par 
ties  allies,  they  went  their  way  with  an  increasing  confidence 


64  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

in  each  other's  support.  Gershom,  now  that  he  was  tho 
roughly  sober,  could  impart  much  to  Ben  that  was  useful ; 
while  Ben  knew  a  great  deal  that  even  his  companion, 
coming  as  he  did  from  the  chosen  people,  was  not  sorry  to 
learn.  As  has  been  already  intimated,  each  communicated 
to  the  other,  in  the  course  of  this  long  journey  on  the  river, 
an  outline  of  his  past  life. 

The  history  of  Gershom  Waring  was  one  of  every-day 
occurrence.  He  was  born  of  a  family  in  humble  circum 
stances  in  Massachusetts,  a  community  in  which,  however, 
none  are  so  very  humble  as  to  be  beneath  the  paternal 
watchfulness  of  the  state.  The  common  schools  had  done 
their  duty  by  him ;  while,  according  to  his  account  of  the 
matter,  his  only  sister  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  a  female 
relative,  who  was  enabled  to  impart  an  instruction  slightly 
superior  to  that  which  is  to  be  hatrfrom  the  servants  of  the 
public.  After  a  time,  the  death  of  this  relative,  and  the 
marriage  of  Gershom,  brought  the  brother  and  sister  toge 
ther  again,  the  last  still  quite  young.  From  this  period  the 
migratory  life  of  the  family  commenced.  Previously  to  the 
establishment  of  manufactories  within  her  limits,  New 
England  systematically  gave  forth  her  increase  to  the  states 
west  and  south  of  her  own  territories.  A  portion  of  this 
increase  still  migrates,  and  will  probably  long  continue  so 
to  do;  but  the  tide  of  young  women,  which  once  flowed  so 
steadily  from  that  region,  would  now  seem  to  have  turned, 
and  is  setting  back  in  a  flood  of  '*  factory  girls."  But  the 
Warings  lived  at  too  early  a  day  to  feel  the  influence  of 
such  a  pass  of  civilization,  and  went  west,  almost  as  a 
matter  of  course.  With  the  commencement  of  his  migra 
tory  life,  Gershom  began  to  "  dissipate,"  as  it  has  got  to  be 
matter  of  convention  to  term  *  drinking.'  Fortunately, 
Mrs.  Waring  had  no  children,  thus  lessening  in  a  measure 
the  privations  to  which  those  unlucky  females  were  obliged 
to  submit.  When  Gershom  left  his  birth-place  he  had  a 
sum  of  money  exceeding  a  thousand  dollars  in  amount,  the 
united  means  of  himself  and  sister ;  but,  by  the  time  he 
had  reached  Detroit,  it  was  reduced  to  less  than  a  hundred. 
Several  years,  however,  had  been  consumed  by  the  way, 
the  habits  growing  worse  and  the  money  vanishing,  as  the 
family  went  further  and  further  towards  the  skirts  of  so- 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  65 

ciety.  At  length  Gershom  attached  himself  to  a  sutler, 
who  was  going  up  to  Michillimackinac,  with  a  party  of 
troops;  and  finally  he  left  that  place  to  proceed,  in  a  canoe 
of  his  own,  to  the  head  of  Lake  Michigan,  where  was  a 
post  on  the  present  site  of  Chicago,  which  was  then  known 
as  Fort  Dearborn. 

In  quitting  Mackinac  for  Chicago,  Waring  had  no  very 
settled  plan.  His  habits  had  completely  put  him  out  of 
favour  at  the  former  place;  and  a  certain  restlessness  urged 
him  to  penetrate  still  farther  into  the  wilderness.  In  all 
his  migrations  and  wanderings  the  two  devoted  females 
followed  his  fortunes;  the  one  because  she  was  his  wife, 
the  other  because  she  was  his  sister.  When  the  canoe 
reached  the  mouth  of  the  Kalarnazoo,  a  gale  of  wind  drove 
it  into  the  river ;  and  finding  a  deserted  cabin,  ready  built, 
to  receive  him,  Gershom  landed,  and  had  been  busy  with 
the  rifle  for  the  last  fortnight,  the  time  he  had  been  on 
shore.  Hearing  from  some  voyageurs  who  had  gone  down 
the  lake,  that  a  bee-hunter  was  up  the  river,  he  had  fol 
lowed  the  stream  in  its  windings  until  he  fell  in  with  le 
Bourdon. 

Such  is  an  outline  of  the  account  which  Whiskey  Centre 
gave  of  himself.  It  is  true,  he  said  very  little  of  his  pro 
pensity  to  drink,  but  this  his  companion  was  enabled  to 
conjecture  from  the  context  of  his  narrative,  as  well  as 
from  what  he  had  seen.  It  was  very  evident  to  the  bee- 
hunter,  that  the  plans  of  both  parties  for  the  summer  were 
about  to  be  seriously  deranged  by  the  impending  hostilities, 
and  that  some  decided  movement  might  be  rendered  ne 
cessary,  even  for  the  protection  of  their  lives.  This  much 
he  communicated  to  Gershom,  who  heard  his  opinions  with 
interest,  and  a  concern  in  behalf  of  his  wife  and  sister  that 
at  least  did  some  credit  to  his  heart.  For  the  first  time  in 
many  months,  indeed,  Gershom  was  now  perfectly  sober, 
a  circumstance  that  was  solely  owing  to  his  having  had  no 
access  to  liquor  for  eight-and-forty  hours.  With  the  return 
of  a  clear  head,  came  juster  notions  of  the  dangers  and 
difficulties  in  which  he  had  involved  the  two  self-devoted 
women  who  had  accompanied  him  so  far,  and  who  really 
geemed  ready  to  follow  him  in  making  the  circuit  of  the 
earth. 

6* 


66  THEOAKOPENINGS. 

"  It 's  troublesome  times,"  exclaimed  Whiskey  Centre, 
when  his  companion  had  just  ended  one  of  his  strong  and 
lucid  statements  of  the  embarrassments  that  might  environ 
them,  ere  they  could  get  back  to  the  settled  portions  of  the 
country  —  "it's  troublesome  times,  truly!  I  see  all  you 
would  say,  Bourdon,  and  wonder  I  ever  got  my  foot  so 
deep  into  it,  without  thinkin'  of  all,  beforehand  !  The  best 
on  us  will  make  mistakes,  hows'ever,  and  I  suppose  I've 
been  called  on  to  make  mine,  as  well  as  another." 

"  My  trade  speaks  for  itself,"  returned  the  bee-hunter, 
"  and  any  man  can  see  why  one  who  looks  for  bees  must 
come  where  they  're  to  be  found  ;  but,  I  will  own,  Gershom, 
that  your  speculation  lies  a  little  beyond  my  understand 
ing.  Now,  you  tell  me  you  have  two  full  barrels  of  whis 
key — " 

"Had,  Bourdon  —  had — one  of  them  is  pretty  nearly 
half  used,  I  am  afeard." 

"  Well  had,  until  you  began  to  be  your  own  customer. 
*3ut  here  you  are,  squatted  at  the  mouth  of  the  Kalamazoo, 
with  a  barrel  and  a  half  of  liquor,  and  nobody  but  your 
self  to  drink  it !  Where  the  profits  are  to  come  from,  ex 
ceeds  Pennsylvany  calculations ;  perhaps  a  yankee  can  tell." 

"  You  forget  the  Injins.  I  met  a  man  at  Mackinaw, 
tfho  only  took  out  in  his  canoe  one  barrel,  and  he  brought 
tn  skins  enough  to  set  up  a  grocery,  at  Detroit.  But  I 
was  on  the  trail  of  the  soldiers,  and  meant  to  make  a  busi 
ness  on  't,  at  Fort  Dearborn.  What  between  the  soldiers 
and  the  red-skins,  a  man  might  sell  gallons  a  day,  and  at 
fair  prices." 

"It's  a  sorry  business  at  the  best,  Whiskey;  and  now 
you  're  fairly  sober,  if  you  '11  take  my  advice  you'll  remain 
go.  Why  not  make  up  your  mind,  like  a  man,  and  vow 
you  '11  never  touch  another  drop." 

"  Maybe  I  will,  when  these  two  barrels  is  emptied — I've 
often  thought  of  doin'  some  sich  matter;  and,  ag'in  and 
3g'in,  has  Dolly  and  Blossom  advised  me  to  fall  into  the 
plan  ;  but  it's  hard  to  give  up  old  habits,  all  at  once.  If  I 
could  only  taper  off  on  a  pint  a  day,  for  a  year  or  so,  I 
think  I  might  come  round  in  time.  I  know  as  well  as  you 
do,  Bourdon,  that  sobriety  is  a  good  thing,  and  dissipation 
a  bad  thing;  but  it's  hard  to  give  up  all,  at  once." 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  67 

Lest  the  instructed  reader  should  wonder  at  a  man's 
using  the  term  "  dissipation"  in  a  wilderness,  it  may  be 
well  to  explain  that,  in  common  American  parlance,  "  dis 
sipation"  has  got  to  mean  "  drunkenness."  Perhaps  half 
of  the  whole  country,  if  told  that  a  man,  or  a  woman,  might 
be  exceedingly  dissipated  and  never  swallow  anything 
stronger  than  water,  would  stoutly  deny  the  justice  of  ap 
plying  the  word  to  such  a  person.  This  perversion  of  the 
meaning  of  a  very  common  term,  has  probably  arisen  from 
the  circumstance  that  there  is  very  little  dissipation  in  the 
country  that  is  not  connected  with  hard  drinking.  A  dis 
sipated  woman  is  a  person  almost  unknown  in  America; 
or,  when  the  word  is  applied,  it  means  a  very  different  de 
gree  of  misspending  of  time,  from  that  which  is  understood 
by  the  use  of  the  same  reproach,  in  older  and  more  sophis 
ticated  states  of  society.  The  majority  rules  in  this  country, 
and  with  the  majority  excess  usually  takes  this  particular 
aspect ;  refinement  having  very  little  connection  with  the 
dissipation  of  the  masses,  anywhere. 

The  excuses  of  his  companion,  however,  caused  le  Bour 
don  to  muse,  more  than  might  otherwise  have  been  the 
case,  on  Whiskey  Centre's  condition.  Apart  from  all  con 
siderations  connected  with  the  man's  own  welfare,  and  the 
happiness  of  his  family,  there  were  those  which  were  inse 
parable  from  the  common  safety,  in  the  present  state  of  the 
country.  Boden  was  a  man  of  much  decision  and  firmness 
of  character,  and  he  was  clear-headed  as  to  causes  and 
consequences.  The  practice  of  living  alone  had  induced 
in  him  the  habits  of  reflection;  and  the  self-reliance  pro 
duced  by  his  solitary  life,  a  life  of  which  he  was  fond  almost 
to  a  passion,  caused  him  to  decide  warily,  but  to  act  promptly. 
As  they  descended  the  river  together,  therefore,  he  went 
over  the  whole  of  Gershom  Waring's  case  and  prospects, 
with  great  impartiality  and  care,  and  settled  in  his  own 
mind  what  ought  to  be  done,  as  well  as  the  mode  of  doing 
it.  He  kept  his  own  counsel,  however,  discussing  all  sorts 
of  subjects  that  were  of  interest  to  men  in  their  situation, 
as  they  floated  down  the  stream,  avoiding  any  recurrence 
•  to  this  theme,  which  was  possibly  of  more  importance  to 
them  both,  just  then,  than  any  other  that  could  be  presented. 


68  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 


CHAPTER  V. 

He  was  a  wight  of  high  renown, 

And  thou  art  but  of  low  degree : 
'T  is  pride  that  pulls  the  country  down — 

Then  take  thine  auld  cloak  about  thee. 

SHAKSPEABK. 

THE  canoe  did  not  reach  the  mouth  of  the  river  until 
near  evening  of  the  third  day  of  its  navigation.  It  was 
not  so  much  the  distance,  though  that  was  considerable, 
as  it  was  the  obstacles  that  lay  in  the  way,  which  brought 
the  travellers  to  the  end  of  their  journey  at  so  late  a  period. 
As  they  drew  nearer  and  nearer  to  the  place  where  Ger- 
shom  had  left  his  wife  and  sister,  le  Bourdon  detected  in 
his  companion  signs  of  an  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the 
two  last,  as  well  as  a  certain  feverish  uneasiness  lest  all 
might  not  be  well  with  them,  that  said  something  in  favour 
of  his  heart,  whatever  might  be  urged  against  his  prudence 
and  care  in  leaving  them  alone  in  so  exposed  a  situation. 

"  I  'm  afeard  a  body  don't  think  as  much  as  he  ought  to 
do,  when  liquor  is  in  him,"  said  Whiskey  Centre,  just  as 
the  canoe  doubled  the  last  point,  and  the  hut  came  into 
view;  "  else  I  never  could  have  left  two  women  by  them 
selves  in  so  lonesome  a  place.  God  be  praised!  there  is 
the  chientg  at  any  rate ;  and  there  's  a  smoke  comin'  out 
of  it,  if  my  eyes  don't  deceive  me !  Look,  Bourdon,  for 
I  can  scarcely  see,  at  all." 

"  There  is  the  house ;  and,  as  you  say,  there  is  certainly 
a  smoke  rising  from  it." 

'*  There  's  comfort  in  that !"  exclaimed  the  truant  hus 
band  and  brother,  with  a  sigh  that  seemed  to  relieve  a  very 
loaded  breast.  "Yes,  there's  comfort  in  that!  If  there's 
a  fire,  there  must  be  them  that  lighted  it ;  and  a  fire  at  this 
season,  too,  says  that  there  's  somethin'  to  eat.  I  should 
be  sorry,  Bourdon,  to  think  I'd  left  the  women  folks  with 
out  food ;  though,  to  own  the  truth,  I  don't  remembe 
whether  I  did  or  not." 


THE    OAK     OPENINGS.  69 

"The  man  who  drinks,  Gershom,  has  commonly  but  a 
very  poor  memory." 

"  That 's  true — yes,  I  '11  own  that;  and  I  wish  it  warn't 
as  true  as  it  is;  but  reason  and  strong  drink  do  not  travel 
far  in  company — " 

Gershom  suddenly  ceased  speaking ;  dropping  his  paddle 
like  one  beset  by  a  powerless  weakness.  The  bee-hunter 
Baw  that  he  was  overcome  by  some  unexpected  occurrence, 
and  that  the  man's  feelings  were  keenly  connected  with 
the  cause,  whatever  that  might  be.  Looking  eagerly  around 
in  quest  of  the  explanation,  le  Bourdon  saw  a  female  stand 
ing  on  a  point  of  land  that  commanded  a  view  of  the  river 
and  its  banks  for  a  considerable  distance,  unequivocally 
watching  the  approach  of  the  canoe. 

'•  There  she  is,"  said  Gershom,  in  a  subdued  tone — 
"  that 's  Dolly;  and  there  she  has  been,  I  '11  engage,  half 
the  time  of  my  absence,  waitin'  to  get  the  first  glimpse  of 
my  miserable  body,  as  it  came  back  to  her.  Sich  is  woman, 
Bourdon ;  and  God  forgive  me,  if  I  have  ever  forgotten 
their  natur',  when  I  was  bound  to  remember  it.  But  we 
all  have  our  weak  moments,  at  times,  and  I  trust  mine  will 
not  be  accounted  ag'in  me  more  than  them  of  other  men." 

"  This  is  a  beautiful  sight,  Gershom,  and  it  almost  makes 
me  your  friend  !  The  man  for  whom  a  woman  can  feel  so 
much  concern — that  a  woman — nay,  women ;  for  you  tell 
me  your  sister  is  one  of  the  family — but  the  man  whom 
decent  women  can  follow  to  a  place  like  this,  must  have 
some  good  p'ints  about  him.  That  woman  is  a  weepin' ; 
and  it  must  be  for  joy  at  your  return." 

"  'T  would  be  jist  like  Dolly  to  do  so — she  's  done  it 
before,  and  would  be  likely  to  do  so  ag'in,"  answered  Ger 
shom,  nearly  choked  by  the  effort  he  made  to  speak  with 
out  betraying  his  own  emotion.  "  Put  the  canoe  into  the 
p'int,  and  let  me  land  there.  I  must  go  up  and  say  a  kind 
word  to  poor  Dolly;  while  you  can  paddle  on,  and  let 
Blossom  know  I  'm  near  at  hand." 

The  bee-hunter  complied  in  silence,  casting  curious 
glances  upward  at  the  woman  while  doing  so,  in  order  to 
ascertain  what  sort  of  a  female  Whiskey  Centre  could  pos 
sibly  have  for  a  wife.  To  his  surprise,  Dorothy  Waring 
was  not  only  decently,  but  she  was  neatly  clad,  appearing 


70  THE    OAK    OPENINGS 

as  if  she  had  studiously  attended  to  her  personal  appear 
ance,  in  the  hope  of  welcoming  her  wayward  and  unfortu 
nate  husband  back  to  his  forest  home.  This  much  le 
Bourdon  saw,  by  a  hasty  glance,  as  his  companion  landed, 
for  a  feeling  of  delicacy  prevented  him  from  taking  a 
longer  look  at  the  woman.  As  Gershom  ascended  the 
bank  to  meet  his  wife,  le  Bourdon  paddled  on,  and  landed 
just  below  the  grove  in  which  was  the  chientg.  It  might 
have  been  his  long  exclusion  from  all  of  the  other  sex,  and 
most  especially  from  that  portion  of  it  which  retains  its 
better  looks,  but  the  being  which  now  met  the  bee-hunter, 
appeared  to  him  to  belong  to  another  world,  rather  than 
to  that  in  which  he  habitually  dwelt.  As  this  was  Marge-ry 
Waring,  who  was  almost  uniformly  called  Blossom,  by  her 
acquaintances,  and  who  is  destined  to  act  an  important 
part  in  this  legend  of  the  "  openings,"  it  may  be  well  to 
give  a  brief  description  of  her  age,  attire,  and  personal 
appearance,  at  the  moment  when  she  was  first  seen  by  le 
Bourdon. 

In  complexion,  colour  of  the  hair,  and  outline  of  face, 
Margery  Waring  bore  a  strong  family  resemblance  to  her 
brother.  In  spite  of  exposure,  and  the  reflection  of  the 
sun's  rays  from  the  water  of  the  lake,  however,  her  skin 
was  of  a  clear,  transparent  white,  such  as  one  might  look 
for  in  a  drawing-room,  but  hardly  expect  to  find  in  a  wil 
derness;  while  the  tint  of  her  lips,  cheeks,  and,  in  a  di 
minished  degree,  of  her  chin  and  ears,  were  such  as  one 
who  wielded  a  pencil  might  long  endeavour  to  catch  with 
out  succeeding.  Her  features  had  the  chiselled  outline 
which  was  so  remarkable  in  her  brother;  while  in  her 
countenance,  in  addition  to  the  softened  expression  of  her 
sex  and  years,  there  was  nothing  to  denote  any  physical  or 
moral  infirmity,  to  form  a  drawback  to  its  witchery  arid 
regularity.  Her  eyes  were  blue,  and  her  hair  as  near 
golden  as  human  tresses  well  could  be.  Exercise,  a  life 
of  change,  and  of  dwelling  much  in  the  open  air,  had  given 
to  this  unusually  charming  girl,  not  only  health,  but  its 
appearance.  Still,  she  was  in  no  respect  coarse,  or  had 
anything  in  the  least  about  her  that  indicated  her  being 
accustomed  to  toil,  with  some  slight  exception  in  her  hands, 
perhaps,  which  were  those  of  a  girl  who  did  not  spare  her- 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  71 

self,  when  there  was  an  opportunity  to  be  of  use.  In  this 
particular,  the  vagrant  life  of  her  brother  had  possibly  been 
of  some  advantage  to  her,  as  it  had  prevented  her  being 
much  employed  in  the  ordinary  toil  of  her  condition  in 
life.  Still,  Margery  Waring  had  that  happy  admixture  of 
delicacy  and  physical  energy,  which  is,  perhaps,  oftener  to 
be  met  in  the  American  girl  of  her  class,  than  in  the  girl 
of  almost  any  other  nation ;  and  far  oftener  than  in  the 
young  American  of  her  sex,  who  is  placed  above  the  ne 
cessity  of  labour. 

As  a  stranger  approached  her,  the  countenance  of  this 
fair  creature  expressed  both  surprise  and  satisfaction  ;  sur 
prise  that  any  one  should  have  been  met  by  Gershom,  in 
such  a  wilderness,  and  satisfaction  that  the  stranger  proved 
to  be  a  white  man,  and  seemingly  one  who  did  not  drink. 
4*  You  are  Blossom,"  said  the  bee-hunter,  taking  the 
hand  of  the  half-reluctant  girl,  in  a  way  so  respectful  and 
friendly,  that  she  could  not  refuse  it,  even  while  she 
doubted  the  propriety  of  thus  receiving  an  utter  stranger 
—  "the  Blossom  of  whom  Gershom  Waring  speaks  so 
often,  and  so  affectionately  ?" 

"  You  are  then  my  brother's  friend,"  answered  Margery, 
smiling  so  sweetly,  that  le  Bourdon  gazed  on  her  with  de 
light.  "  We  are  so  glad  that  he  has  come  back  !  Five 
terrible  nights  have  sister  and  I  been  here  alone,  and  we 
have  believed  every  bush  was  a  red  man  !" 

"  That  danger  is  over,  now,  Blossom ;  but  there  is  still 
an  enemy  near  you  that  must  be  overcome." 

"An  enemy !  There  is  no  one,  here,  but  Dolly  and 
myself.  No  one  has  been  near  us,  since  Gershom  went 
after  the  bee-hunter,  whom  we  heard  was  out  in  the  open 
ings.  Are  you  that  bee-hunter?" 

"  I  am,  beautiful  Blossom ;  and  I  tell  you  there  is  an 
enemy  here,  in  your  cabin,  that  must  be  looked  to." 

"  We  fear  no  enemies  but  the  red  men,  and  we  have 
seen  none  of  them  since  we  reached  this  river.  What  is 
the  name  of  the  enemy  you  so  dread,  and  where  is  he  to 
be  found?" 

"  His  name  is  Whiskey,  and  he  is  kept  somewhere  in 
this  hut,  in  casks.  Show  me  the  place,  that  I  may  destroy 
him,  before  his  friend  comes  to  his  assistance." 


72  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

A  gleam  of  bright  intelligence  flashed  into  the  face  of 
the  beautiful  young  creature.  First  she  reddened  almost 
to  scarlet ;  then  her  face  became  pale  as  death.  Compres 
sing  her  lips  intensely,  she  stood  irresolute — now  gazing 
at  the  pleasing,  and  seemingly  well-disposed  stranger  be 
fore  her,  now  looking  earnestly  towards  the  still  distant 
forms  of  her  brother  and  sister,  which  were  &lowly  advanc 
ing  in  the  direction  of  the  cabin. 

"  Dare  you  ?"  Margery  at  length  asked,  pointing  towards 
her  brother. 

"  I  dare :  he  is  now  quite  sober,  and  may  be  reasoned 
with.  For  the  sake  of  us  all,  let  us  profit  by  this  ad 
vantage.1' 

"  He  keeps  the  liquor  in  two  casks  that  you  will  find 
under  the  shed,  behind  the  hut." 

This  said,  the  girl  covered  her  face  with  both  her 
hands,  and  sunk  on  a  stool,  as  if  afraid  to  be  a  witness  of 
that  which  was  to  follow.  As  for  le  Bourdon,  he  did  not 
delay  a  moment,  but  passed  out  of  the  cabin  by  a  second 
door,  that  opened  in  its  rear.  There  were  the  two  barrels, 
and  by  their  side  an  axe.  His  first  impulse  was  to  dash 
in  the  heads  of  the  casks  where  they  stood  ;  but  a  mo 
ment's  reflection  told  him  that  the  odour,  so  near  the 
cabin,  would  be  unpleasant  to  every  one,  and  might  have 
a  tendency  to  exasperate  the  owner  of  the  liquor.  He 
cast  about  him,  therefore,  for  the  means  of  removing  the 
casks,  in  order  to  stave  them,  at  a  distance  from  the 
dwelling. 

Fortunately,  the  cabin  of  Whiskey  Centre  stood  on  the 
brow  of  a  sharp  descent,  at  the  bottom  of  which  ran  a 
brawling  brook.  At  another  moment,  le  Bourdon  would 
have  thought  of  saving  the  barrels;  but  time  pressed,  and 
he  could  not  delay.  Seizing  the  barrel  next  to  him,  he 
rolled  it  without  difficulty  to  the  brow  of  the  declivity,  and 
set  it  off  with  a  powerful  shove  of  his  foot.  It  was  the 
half-empty  cask,  and  away  it  went,  the  liquor  it  contained 
washing  about  as  it  rolled  over  and  over,  until  hitting  a 
rock  about  half-way  down  the  declivity,  the  hoops  gave 
way,  when  the  staves  went  over  the  little  precipice,  and 
the  water  of  the  stream  was  tumbling  through  all  that  re 
mained  of  the  cask,  at  the  next  instant.  A  slight  excla- 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  73 

mation  of  delight  behind  him  caused  the  bee-hunter  to 
look  round,  and  he  saw  that  Margery  was  watching  his 
movements  with  an  absorbed  interest.  Her  smile  was  one 
of  joy,  not  unmingled  with  terror;  and  she  rather  whispered 
than  said  aloud — "The  other — the  other — that  is  full — be 
quick ;  there  is  no  time  to  lose."  The  bee-hunter  seized 
the  second  cask  and  rolled  it  towards  the  brow  of  the 
rocks.  It  was  not  quite  as  easily  handled  as  the  other 
barrel,  but  his  strength  sufficed,  and  it  was  soon  bounding 
down  the  declivity  after  its  companion.  This  second  cask 
hit  the  same  rock  as  the  first,  whence  it  leaped  off  the 
precipice,  and,  aided  by  its  greater  momentum,  it  was  lite 
rally  dashed  in  pieces  at  its  base. 

Not  only  was  this  barrel  broken  into  fragments,  but  its 
hoops  and  staves  were  carried  down  the  torrent,  driving 
before  them  those  of  the  sister  cask,  until  the  whole  were 
swept  into  the  lake,  which  was  some  distance  from  the 
cabin. 

"  That  job  is  well  done  !"  exclaimed  le  Bourdon,  when 
the  last  fragment  of  the  wreck  was  taken  out  of  sight. 
No  man  will  ever  turn  himself  into  a  beast  by  means  of 
that  liquor." 

"  God  be  praised  !"  murmured  Margery.  "  He  is  so 
different,  stranger,  when  he  has  been  drinking,  from  what 
he  is  when  he  has  not !  You  have  been  sent  by  Provi 
dence  to  do  us  this  good." 

"  I  can  easily  believe  that,  for  it  is  so  with  us  all.  But 
you  must  not  call  me  stranger,  sweet  Margery ;  for,  now 
that  you  and  I  have  this  secret  between  us,  I  arn  a  stranger 
no  longer." 

The  girl  smiled  and  blushed;  then  she  seemed  anxious 
to  ask  a  question.  In  the  mean  time  they  left  the  shed, 
and  took  seats,  in  waiting  for  the  arrival  of  Gershom  and 
his  wife.  It  was  not  long  ere  the  last  entered  ;  the  coun 
tenance  of  the  wife  beaming  with  a  satisfaction  she  made 
no  effort  to  conceal.  Dolly  was  not  as  beautiful  as  her  sister- 
in-law;  still,  she  was  a  comely  woman,  though  one  who  had 
been  stricken  by  sorrow.  She  was  still  young,  and  might 
have  been  in  the  pride  of  her  good  looks,  had  it  not  been 
for  the  manner  in  which  she  had  grieved  over  the  fall  of 
Gershom.  The  joy  that  gladdens  a  woman's  heart,  how- 


74  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

ever,  was  now  illuminating  her  countenance,  and  she  wel 
comed  le  Bourdon  most  cordially,  as  if  aware  that  he  had 
been  of  service  to  her  husband.  For  months  she  had  not 
seen  Gershom  quite  himself,  until  that  evening. 

"I  have  told  Dolly  all  our  adventur's,  Bourdon,"  cried 
Gershom,  as  soon  as  the  brief  greetings  were  over,  "  and 
she  tells  me  all 's  right,  hereabouts.  Three  canoe-loads 
of  Injins  passed  along  shore,  goin'  up  the  lake,  she  tells 
me,  this  very  a'ternoon ;  but  they  didn't  see  the  smoke, 
the  fire  bein'  out,  and  must  have  thought  the  hut  empty ; 
if,  indeed,  they  knew  anythin'  of  it,  at  all." 

"The  last  is  the  most  likely,"  remarked  Margery;  "for 
I  watched  them  narrowly  from  the  beeches  on  the  shore, 
and  there  was  no  pointing,  or  looking  up,  as  would  have 
happened  had  there  been  any  one  among  them  who  could 
show  the  others  a  cabin.  Houses  an't  so  plenty,  in  this 
part  of  the  country,  that  travellers  pass  without  turning 
round  to  look  at  them.  An  Injin  has  curiosity  as  well  as 
a  white  man,  though  he  manages  so  often  to  conceal  it." 

"  Didn't  you  say,  Blossom,  that  one  of  the  canoes  was 
much  behind  the  others,  and  that  a  warrior  in  that  canoe 
did  look  up  towards  this  grove,  as  if  searching  for  the 
cabin?"  asked  Dorothy. 

"  Either  it  was  so,  or  my  fears  made  it  seem  so.  The 
two  canoes  that  passed  first  were  well  filled  with  Injins, 
each  having  eight  in  it ;  while  the  one  that  came  last  held 
but  four  warriors.  They  were  a  mile  apart,  and  the  last 
canoe  seemed  to  be  trying  to  overtake  the  others.  I  did 
think  that  nothing  but  their  haste  prevented  the  men  in 
the  last  canoe  from  landing ;  but  my  fears  may  have  made 
that  seem  so  that  was  not  so." 

As  the  cheek  of  the  charming  girl  flushed  with  excite 
ment,  and  her  face  became  animated,  Margery  appeared 
marvellously  handsome ;  more  so,  the  bee-hunter  fancied, 
than  any  other  female  he  had  ever  before  seen.  But  her 
words  impressed  him  quite  as  much  as  her  looks ;  for  he 
at  once  saw  the  importance  of  such  an  event,  to  persons 
in  their  situation.  The  wind  was  rising  on  the  lake,  and 
it  was  ahead  for  the  canoes ;  should  the  savages  feel  the 
necessity  of  making  a  harbour,  they  might  return  to  the 
niQuth  of  the  Kalamazoo ;  a  step  that  would  endanger  ajl 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  75 

their  lives,  in  the  event  of  these  Indians  proving  to  belong 
to  those,  whom  there  was  now  reason  to  believe  were  in 
British  pay.  In  times  of  peace,  the  intercourse  between 
the  whites  and  the  red  men  was  usually  amicable,  and 
seldom  led  to  violence,  unless  through  the  effects  of 
liquor ;  but,  a  price  being  placed  on  scalps,  a  very  dif 
ferent  state  of  things  might  be  anticipated,  as  a  conse 
quence  of  the  hostilities.  This  was  then  a  matter  to  be 
looked  to ;  and,  as  evening  was  approaching,  no  time  was 
to  be  lost. 

The  shores  of  Michigan  are  generally  low,  nor  are  har 
bours  either  numerous,  or  very  easy  of  access.  It  would 
be  difficult,  indeed,  to  find,  in  any  other  part  of  the  world, 
so  great  an  extent  of  coast,  that  possesses  so  little  protec 
tion  for  the  navigator,  as  that  of  this  very  lake.  There 
are  a  good  many  rivers,  it  is  true,  but  usually  they  have 
bars,  and  are  not  easy  of  entrance.  This  is  the  reason 
why  that  very  convenient  glove,  the  Constitution,  which 
can  be  made  to  fit  any  hand,  has  been  discovered  to  have 
an  extra  finger  in  it,  which  points  out  a  mode  by  which 
the  Federal  Government  can  create  ports  wherever  nature 
has  forgotten  to  perform  this  beneficent  office.  It  is  a 
little  extraordinary  that  the  fingers  of  so  many  of  the  great 
"  expounders"  turn  out  to  be  "  thumbs,"  however ;  exhi 
biting  clumsiness,  rather  than  that  adroit  lightness  which 
usually  characterizes  the  dexterity  of  men  who  are  in  the 
habit  of  rummaging  other  people's  pockets,  for  their  own 
especial  purposes.  It  must  be  somewhat  up-hill  work  to 
persuade  any  disinterested  and  clear-headed  man,  that  a 
political  power  to  "  regulate  commerce"  goes  the  length 
of  making  harbours;  the  one  being  in  a  great  measure  a 
moral,  while  the  other  is  exclusively  a  physical  agency  ; 
any  more  than  it  goes  the  length  of  making  warehouses, 
and  cranes,  and  carts,  and  all  the  other  physical  imple 
ments  for  carrying  on  trade.  Now,  what  renders  all  this 
"  thumbing"  of  the  Constitution  so  much  the  more  absurd, 
is  the  fact,  that  the  very  generous  compact  interested  does 
furnish  a  means,  by  which  the  poverty  of  ports  on  the 
great  lakes  may  be  remedied,  without  making  any  more 
unnecessary  rents  in  the  great  national  glove.  Congress 
clearly  possesses  the  power  to  create  and  maintain  a  navy, 


76  THE    OAK    OPENINGS 

which  includes  the  power  to  create  all  sorts  of  necessary 
physical  appliances ;  and,  among1  others,  places  of  refuge 
for  that  navy,  should  they  be  actually  needed.  As  a  vessel 
of  war  requires  a  harbour,  and  usually  a  better  harbour 
than  a  merchant-vessel,  it  strikes  us  the  "  expounders" 
would  do  well  to  give  this  thought  a  moment's  attention. 
Behind  it  will  be  found  the  most  unanswerable  argument 
in  favour  of  the  light-houses,  too. 

But,  to  return  to  the  narrative  :  The  Kalarnazoo  could 
be  entered  by  canoes,  though  it  offered  no  very  available 
shelter  for  a  vessel  of  any  size.  There  was  no  other  shelter 
for  the  savages  for  several  miles  to  the  southward  ;  and, 
should  the  wind  increase,  of  which  there  were  strong  in 
dications,  it  was  not  only  possible,  but  highly  probable, 
that  the  canoes  would  return.  According  to  the  account 
of  the  females,  they  had  passed  only  two  hours  before,  and 
the  breeze  had  been  gradually  gathering  strength  ever 
since.  It  was  not  unlikely,  indeed,  that  the  attention  paid 
to  the  river  by  the  warrior  in  the  last  canoe,  may  have  had 
reference  to  this  very  state  of  the  weather ;  and  his  haste 
to  overtake  his  companions  been  connected  with  a  desire 
to  induce  them  to  seek  a  shelter.  All  this  presented  itself 
to  the  bee-hunter's  mind,  at  once ;  and  it  was  discussed 
between  the  members  of  the  party,  freely,  and  not  without 
some  grave  apprehensions. 

There  was  one  elevated  point — elevated  comparatively, 
if  not  in  a  very  positive  sense — whence  the  eye  could 
command  a  considerable  distance  along  the  lake  shore. 
Thither  Margery  now  hastened  to  look  after  the  canoes. 
Boden  accompanied  her ;  and  together  they  proceeded, 
side  by  side,  with  a  new-born,  but  lively  and  increasing 
confidence,  that  was  all  the  greater,  in  consequence  of 
their  possessing  a  common  secret. 

"  Brother  must  be  much  better  than  he  was,"  the  girl 
observed,  as  they  hurried  on,  "for  he  has  riot  once  been 
into  the  shed  to  look  at  the  barrels  !  Before  he  went  into 
the  openings,  he  never  entered  the  house  without  drinking; 
and,  sometimes,  he  would  raise  the  cup  to  his  mouth  as 
•often  as  three  times  in  the  first  half-hour.  Now,  he  does 
not  seern  even  to  think  of  it !" 

"  It  may  be  well  that  he  can  find  nothing  to  put  into  hie 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  77 

cup,  should  he  fall  into  his  old  ways.  One  is  never  sure 
of  a  man  of  such  habits,  until  he  is  placed  entirely  out 
of  harm's  way." 

"  Gershom  is  such  a  different  being  when  he  has  not 
been  drinking  !"  rejoined  the  sister,  in  a  touching  manner. 
*  We  love  him,  and  strive  to  do  all  we  can  to  keep  him 
up,  but  it  is  hard." 

"  I  am  surprised  that  you  should  have  come  into  this 
wilderness  with  any  one  of  bad  habits !" 

"  Why  not  1  He  is  my  brother,  and  I  have  no  parents 
— he  is  all  to  me  :  and  what  would  become  of  Dorothy  if 
I  were  to  quit  her,  too !  She  has  lost  most  of  her  friends, 
since  Gershom  fell  into  these  ways,  and  it  would  quite 
break  her  heart,  did  I  desert  her." 

"  All  this  speaks  well  for  you,  pretty  Margery,  but  it  is 
not  the  less  surprising — ah,  there  is  my  canoe,  in  plain 
sight  of  all  who  enter  the  river ;  that  must  be  concealed, 
Injins  or  no  Injins." 

"  It  is  only  a  step  further  to  the  place  where  we  can  get 
a  look-out.  Just  there,  beneath  the  burr  oak.  Hours  and 
hours  have  I  sat  on  that  spot,  with  my  sewing,  while  Ger 
shom  was  gone  into  the  openings." 

"  And  Dolly — where  was  she  while  you  were  here?" 

"  Poor  Dolly  ! — I  do  think  she  passed  quite  half  her 
time  up  at  the  beach  tree,  where  you  first  saw  her,  looking 
if  brother  was  not  coming  home.  It  is  a  cruel  thing  to  a 
wife  to  have  a  truant  husband  !" 

"  Which  I  hope  may  never  be  your  case,  pretty  Mar 
gery,  and  which  I  think  never  can" 

Margery  did  not  answer:  but  the  speech  must  have 
been  heard,  uttered  as  it  was  in  a  much  lower  tone  of 
voice  than  the  young  man  had  hitherto  used  ;  for  the 
charming  maiden  looked  down  and  blushed.  Fortunately, 
the  two  now  soon  arrived  at  the  tree,  and  their  conversa 
tion  naturally  reverted  to  the  subject  which  had  brought 
them  there.  Three  canoes  were  in  sight,  close  in  with 
the  land,  but  so  distant  as  to  render  it  for  some  time 
doubtful  which  way  they  were  moving.  At  first,  the  bee- 
hunter  said  that  they  were  still  going  slowly  to  the  south 
ward  ;  but  he  habitually  carried  his  little  glass,  and,  on 
levelling  that,  it  was  quite  apparent  that  the  savagea  were 


78  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

paddling  before  the  wind,  and  making  for  the  mouth  of 
the  river.  This  was  a  very  grave  fact ;  and,  as  Blossom 
flew  to  communicate  it  to  her  brother  and  his  wife,  le 
Bourdon  moved  towards  his  own  canoe,  and  looked  about 
for  a  place  of  concealment. 

Several  considerations  had  to  be  borne  in  mind,  in  dis 
posing  of  the  canoes  ;  for  that  of  Gershom  was  to  be  se 
creted,  as  well  as  that  of  the  bee-hunter.  A  tall  aquatic 
plant,  that  is  termed  wild  rice,  and  which  we  suppose  to 
be  the  ordinary  rice-plant,  unimproved  by  tillage,  grows 
spontaneously  about  the  mouths  and  on  the  flats  of  most 
of  the  rivers  of  the  part  of  Michigan  of  which  we  are 
writing ;  as,  indeed,  it  is  to  be  found  in  nearly  all  the  shal 
low  waters  of  those  regions.  There  was  a  good  deal  of 
this  rice  at  hand  ;  and  the  bee-hunter,  paddling  his  own 
canoe  and  towing  the  other,  entered  this  vegetable  thicket, 
choosing  a  channel  that  had  been  formed  by  some  acci 
dent  of  nature,  and  which  wound  through  the  herbage  in 
a  way  soon  to  conceal  all  that  came  within  its  limits. 
These  channels  were  not  only  numerous,  but  exceedingly 
winding;  and  the  bee-hunter  had  no  sooner  brought  his 
canoes  to  the  firm  ground  and  fastened  them  there,  than 
he  ascended  a  tree,  and  studied  the  windings  of  these 
narrow  passages,  until  he  had  got  a  general  idea  of  their 
direction  and  characters.  This  precaution  taken,  he  hur 
ried  back  to  the  hut. 

"  Well,  Gershom,  have  you  settled  on  the  course  to  be 
taken  1"  were  the  first  words  uttered  by  the  bee-hunter 
when  he  rejoined  the  family  of  Whiskey  Centre. 

"  We  haven't,"  answered  the  husband.  "  Sister  begs  us 
to  quit  the  chientt,  for  the  Indians  must  soon  be  here  ;  but 
wife  seems  to  think  that  she  must  be  safe,  now  I  'm  at 
home,  ag'in." 

"  Then  wife  is  wrong,  and  sister  is  right.  If  you  will 
take  my  advice,  you  will  hide  all  your  effects  in  the  woods, 
and  quit  the  cabin  as  soon  as  possible.  The  Injins  cannot 
fail  to  see  this  habitation,  and  will  be  certain  to  destroy 
all  they  find  in  it,  and  that  they  do  not  carry  off.  Besides, 
the  discovery  of  the  least  article  belonging  to  a  white 
man  will  set  them  on  our  trail ;  for  scalps  will  soon  beat 
a  price  at  Montreal.  In  half  an  hour,  all  that  is  here  can 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  79 

K-  removed  into  the  thicket  that  is  luckily  so  near  ;  and 
by  putting  out  the  fire  with  care,  and  using  proper  caution, 
we  may  give  the  place  such  a  deserted  look  that  the 
savages  will  suspect  nothing." 

"  If  they  enter  the  river,  Bourdon,  they  will  not  'camp 
out  with  a  wigwam  so  near  by ;  and  should  they  come 
here,  what  is  to  prevent  their  seein'  the  foot-prints  we 
shall  leave  behind  us  ?" 

"  The  night,  and  that  only.  Before  morning  their  own 
footsteps  will  be  so  plenty  as  to  deceive  them.  Luckily 
we  all  wear  moccasins,  which  is  a  great  advantage  just 
now.  But  every  moment  is  precious,  and  we  should  be 
stirring.  Let  the  women  take  the  beds  and  bedding, 
while  you  and  I  shoulder  this  chest.  Up  it  goes,  and 
away  with  it !" 

Gershom  had  got  to  be  so  much  under  his  companion's 
influence,  that  he  complied,  though  his  mind  suggested 
various  objections  to  the  course  taken,  to  which  his  tongue 
gave  utterance  as  they  busied  themselves  in  this  task. 
The  effects  of  Whiskey  Centre  had  been  gradually  dimi 
nishing  in  quantity,  as  well  as  in  value,  for  the  last  three 
years,  and  were  now  of  no  great  amount,  in  any  sense. 
Still,  there  were  two  chests,  one  large,  and  one  small.  The 
last  contained  all  that  a  generous  regard  for  the  growing 
wants  of  the  family  had  left  to  Margery  ;  while  the  first 
held  the  joint  wardrobes  of  the  husband  and  wife,  with  a 
few  other  articles  that  were  considered  as  valuable. — 
Among  other  things  were  half  a  dozen  of  very  thin  silver 
tea-spoons,  which  had  fallen  to  Gershom  on  a  division  of 
the  family  plate.  The  other  six  were  carefully  wrapped 
up  in  paper  and  put  in  the  till  of  Margery's  chest,  being 
her  portion  of  this  species  of  property.  The  Americans, 
generally,  have  very  little  plate  ;  though  here  and  there 
marked  exceptions  do  exist ;  nor  do  the  humbler  classes 
lay  out  much  of  their  earnings  in  jewelry,  while  they 
commonly  dress  far  beyond  their  means  in  all  other  ways. 
In  this  respect,  the  European  female  of  the  same  class  in 
life  frequently  possesses  as  much  in  massive  golden  personal 
ornaments  as  would  make  an  humble  little  fortune,  while 
her  attire  is  as  homely  as  cumbrous  petticoats,  coarse  cloth, 
and  a  vile  taste  can  render  it.  On  the  other  hand,  the 


80  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

American  matron  that  has  not  a  set — one  half-dozen — of 
silver  tea-spoons  must  be  poor  indeed,  and  can  hardly  be 
said  to  belong  to  the  order  of  housekeepers  at  all.  By 
means  of  a  careful  mother,  both  Gershom  and  his  sister 
had  the  half-dozen  mentioned ;  and  they  were  kept  more 
as  sacred  memorials  of  past  and  better  days  than  as  articles 
of  any  use.  The  household  goods  of  Waring  would  have 
been  limited  by  his  means  of  transportation,  if  not  by  his 
poverty.  Two  common  low-post  maple  bedsteads  were  soon 
uncorded  and  carried  off,  as  were  the  beds  and  bedding. 
There  was  scarcely  any  crockery,  pewter  and  tin  being  its 
substitutes ;  and  as  for  chairs  there  was  only  one,  and  that 
had  rockers  :  a  practice  of  New  England  that  has  gradually 
diffused  itself  over  the  whole  country,  looking  down  ridi 
cule,  the  drilling  of  boarding-schools,  the  comments  of 
elderly  ladies  of  the  old  school,  the  sneers  of  nurses,  and, 
in  a  word,  all  that  venerable  ideas  of  decorum  could  sug 
gest,  until  this  appliance  of  domestic  ease  has  not  only 
fairly  planted  itself  in  nearly  every  American  dwelling,  but 
in  a  good  many  of  Europe  also ! 

It  required  about  twenty  minutes  for  the  party  to  clear 
the  cabin  of  every  article  that  might  induce  an  Indian  to 
suspect  the  presence  of  white  men.  The  furniture  was 
carried  to  a  sufficient  distance  to  be  safe  from  everything 
but  a  search ;  and  care  was  had  to  avoid  as  much  as  pos 
sible  making  a  trail,  to  lead  the  savages  to  the  place  selected 
for  the  temporary  store-room.  This  was  merely  a  close 
thicket,  into  which  there  was  a  narrow  but  practicable  en 
trance  on  the  side  the  least  likely  to  be  visited.  When  all 
was  accomplished  the  four  went  to  the  look-out  to  ascertain 
how  far  the  canoes  had  come.  It  was  soon  ascertained 
that  they  were  within  a  mile,  driving  down  before  a  strong 
breeze  and  following  sea,  and  impelled  by  as  many  paddles 
as  there  were  living  beings  in  them.  Ten  minutes  would 
certainly  bring  them  up  with  the  bar,  and  five  more  fairly 
within  the  river.  The  question  now  arose,  where  the  party 
was  to  be  concealed  during  the  stay  of  the  savages.  Dolly, 
as  was  perhaps  natural  to  the  housewife,  wished  to  remain 
by  her  worldly  goods,  and  pretty  Margery  had  a  strong 
feminine  leaning  to  do  the  same.  But  neither  of  the  men 
approved  of  the  plan.  It  was  risking  too  much  in  one 


THK     OAK     OPENINGS.  81 

spot;  and  a  suggestion  that  the  bee-hunter  was  not  long 
in  making,  prevailed. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  le  Bourdon  had  carried  the 
canoes  within  the  field  of  wild  rice,  and  bestowed  them 
there  with  a  good  deal  of  attention  to  security.  Now 
these  canoes  offered,  in  many  respects,  better  places  of 
temporary  refuge  under  all  the  circumstances  than  any 
other  that  could  readily  be  found  on  shore.  They  were 
dry  ;  and  by  spreading  skins,  of  which  Boden  had  so  many, 
comfortable  beds  might  be  made  for  the  females,  which 
would  be  easily  protected  from  the  night  air  and  dews  by 
throwing  a  rug  over  the  gunwales.  Then,  each  canoe 
contained  many  articles  that  would  probably  be  wanted ; 
that  of  the  bee-hunter  in  particular  furnishing  food  in 
abundance,  as  well  as  divers  other  things  that  would  be 
exceedingly  useful  to  persons  in  their  situation.  The  great 
advantage  of  the  canoes,  however,  in  the  mind  of  le  Bour 
don,  was  the  facilities  they  offered  for  flight.  He  hardly 
hoped  that  Indian  sagacity  would  be  so  far  blinded  as  to 
prevent  the  discovery  of  the  many  foosteps  they  must  have 
left  in  their  hurried  movements,  and  he  anticipated  that 
with  the  return  of  day  something  would  occur  to  render  it 
necessary  for  them  to  seek  safety  by  a  stealthy  removal  from 
the  spot.  This  might  be  done,  he  both  hoped  and  believed, 
under  cover  of  the  rice,  should  sufficient  care  be  taken  to 
avoid  exposure.  In  placing  the  canoes,  he  had  used  the 
precaution  to  leave  them  where  they  could  not  be  seen  from 
the  cabin  or  its  vicinity,  or,  indeed,  from  any  spot  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  ground  that  the  savages  would  be  likely  to 
visit  during  their  stay.  All  these  reasons  le  Bourdon  now 
rapidly  laid  before  his  companions,  and  to  the  canoes  the 
whole  party  retired  as  fast  as  they  could  walk. 

There  was  great  judgment  displayed  on  the  part  of  the 
bee-hunter  in  selecting  the  wild  rice  as  a  place  of  shelter. 
At  that  season  it  was  sufficiently  grown  to  afford  a  complete 
screen  to  everything  within  it  that  did  not  exceed  the  height 
of  a  man,  or  which  was  not  seen  from  some  adjacent  eleva 
tion.  Most  of  the  land  near  the  mouth  of  the  river  was 
low,  and  the  few  spots  which  formed  exceptions  had  been 
borne  in  mind  when  the  canoes  were  taken  into  the  field. 
But  just  as  Gershom  was  on  the  point  of  putting  a  foot  into 


82  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

his  own  canoe,  with  a  view  to  arrange  it  for  the  reception 
of  his  wife,  he  drew  back,  and  exclaimed  after  the  mannei 
of  one  to  whom  a  most  important  idea  suddenly  occurs — 

"  Land's  sake  !  I  }ve  forgotten  all  about  them  barrels  ! 
They  '11  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  savages,  and  an  awful 
time  they  '11  make  with  them  !  Let  me  pass,  Dolly  ;  I  must 
look  after  the  barrels  this  instant." 

While  the  wife  gently  detained  her  eager  husband,  the 
bee-hunter  quietly  asked  to  what  barrels  he  alluded. 

"  The  whiskey  casks,"  was  the  answer.  "  There  's  two 
on  'em  in  the  shed  behind  the  hut,  and  whiskey  enough  to 
set  a  whole  tribe  in  commotion.  I  wonder  I  should  have 
overlooked  the  whiskey !" 

"  It  is  a  sign  of  great  improvement,  friend  Waring,  and 
will  lead  to  no  bad  consequences,"  returned  le  Bourdon, 
coolly.  "  I  foresaw  the  danger,  and  rolled  the  casks  down 
the  hill,  where  they  were  dashed  to  pieces  in  the  brook, 
arid  the  liquor  has  long  since  been  carried  into  the  lake 
in  the  shape  of  grog." 

Waring  seemed  astounded  ;  but  was  so  completely  mysti 
fied  as  not  to  suspect  the  truth.  That  his  liquor  should  be 
hopelessly  lost  was  bad  enough ;  but  even  that  was  better 
than  to  have  it  drunk  by  savages  without  receiving  any  re 
turns.  After  groaning  and  lamenting  over  the  loss  for  a 
few  minutes,  he  joined  the  rest  of  the  party  in  making  some 
further  dispositions,  which  le  Bourdon  deemed  prudent,  if 
not  necessary. 

It  had  occurred  to  the  bee-hunter  to  divide  his  own  cargo 
between  the  two  canoes,  which  was  the  task  that  the  whole 
party  was  now  engaged  in.  The  object  was  to  lighten  his 
own  canoe  in  the  event  of  flight,  and,  by  placing  his  effects 
in  two  parcels,  give  a  chance  to  those  in  the  boat  which 
might  escape,  of  having  wherewithal  to  comfort  and  con 
sole  themselves.  As  soon  as  this  new  arrangement  was 
completed,  le  Bourdon  ran  up  to  a  tree  that  offered  the  de 
sired  facilities,  and  springing  into  its  branches,  was  soon 
high  enough  to  get  a  view  of  the  bar  and  the  mouth  of  the 
river.  By  the  parting  light  of  day,  he  distinctly  sawfoui 
canoes  coming  up  the  stream ;  which  was  one  more  than 
those  reported  to  him  by  Margery  as  having  passed. 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  83 


CHAPTER  VI. 

And  long  shall  timorous  fancy  see, 

The  painted  chief  and  pointed  spear; 

And  reason's  self  shall  bow  the  knee, 
To  shadows  and  delusions  here. 

FREXEAU. 

A  BRIGHT  moon  reflected  on  the  earth  for  about  an  hom 
the  light  of  the  sun,  as  the  latter  luminary  disappeared 
By  its  aid  the  bee-hunter,  who  still  continued  in  the  tree, 
was  enabled  to  watch  the  movements 'of  the  canoes  of  the 
Indians,  though  the  persons  they  contained  soon  got  to  be 
so  indistinct  as  to  render  it  impossible  to  do  more  than 
count  their  numbers.  The  last  he  made  out  to  be  five  each 
in  three  of  the  canoes,  and  six  in  the  other,  making  twenty- 
one  individuals  in  all.  This  was  too  great  an  odds  to  think 
of  resisting,  in  the  event  of  the  strangers  turning  out  to  be 
hostile ;  and  the  knowledge  of  this  disparity  in  force  ad 
monished  all  the  fugitives  of  the  necessity  of  being  wary 
and  prudent. 

The  strangers  landed  just  beneath  the  hut,  or  at  the  pre 
cise  spot  where  Whiskey  Centre  was  in  the  habit  of  keeping 
his  canoe,  and  whence  Boden  had  removed  it  only  an  houi 
or  two  before.  The  savages  had  probably  selected  the 
place  on  account  of  its  shores  being  clear  of  the  wild  rice, 
and  because  the  high  ground  near  it  promised  both  a  look 
out  and  comfortable  lodgings.  Several  of  the  party  strolled 
upward,  as  if  searching  for  an  eligible  spot  to  light  their 
fire,  and  one  of  them  soon  discovered  the  cabin.  The 
warrior  announced  his  success  by  a  whoop,  and  a  dozen  of 
the  Indians  were  shortly  collected  in  and  about  the  chientt. 
All  this  proved  the  prudence  of  the  course  taken  by  the 
fugitives. 

Blossom  stood  beneath  the  tree,  and  the  bee-hunter  told 
her,  as  each  incident  occurred,  all  that  passed  among  the 
strangers,  when  the  girl  communicated  the  same  to  her 
brother  and  his  wife,  who  were  quite  near  at  hand  in  one 
of  the  canoes.  As  there  was  no  danger  of  being  over- 


84  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

heard,  conversation  in  an  ordinary  tone  passed  between 
the  parties,  two  of  whom  at  least  were  now  fond  oi  holding 
this  sort  of  communion. 

"  Do  they  seem  to  suspect  the  neighbourhood  of  the  oc 
cupants  of  the  cabin  ?"  asked  Margery,  when  the  bee-hunter 
had  let  her  know  the  manner  in  which  the  savages  had 
taken  possession  of  her  late  dwelling. 

"  One  cannot  tell.  Savages  are  always  distrustful  and 
cautious  when  on  a  war-path;  and  these  seem  to  be  scent 
ing  about  like  so  many  hounds  which  are  nosing  for  a  trail. 
They  are  now  gathering  sticks  to  light  a  fire,  which  is 
better  than  burning  the  chicnte" 

"  That  they  will  not  be  likely  to  do  until  they  have  no 
further  need  of  it.  Tell  me,  Bourdon,  do  any  go  near  the 
thicket  of  alders  where  we  have  hidden  our  goods?" 

"  Not  as  yet ;  though  there  is  a  sudden  movement  and 
many  loud  yells  among  them  !" 

"  Heaven  send  that  it  may  not  be  at  having  discovered 
anything  we  have  forgotten.  The  sight  of  even  a  lost 
dipper  or  cup  would  set  them  blood-hounds  on  our  path,  as 
sure  as  we  are  white  and  they  are  savages !" 

"  As  I  live,  they  scent  the  whiskey  !  There  is  a  rush 
towards,  and  a  pow-wovv  in  and  about  the  shed — yes,  of  a 
certainty  they  smell  the  liquor!  Some  of  it  has  escaped 
in  rolling  down  the  hill,  and  their  noses  are  too  keen  to 
pass  over  a  fragrance  that  to  them  equals  that  of  roses. 
Well,  let  them  scent  as  they  may- — even  an  Injin  does  not 
get  drunk  through  his  nose." 

"  You  are  quite  right,  Bourdon  :  but  is  not  this  a  most 
unhappy  scent  for  us,  since  the  smell  of  whiskey  can  hardly 
be  there  without  their  seeing  it  did  not  grow  in  the  woods 
of  itself,  like  an  oak  or  a  beech?" 

"  I  understand  you,  Margery,  and  there  is  good  sense  in 
what  you  say.  They  will  never  think  the  liquor  grew 
there,  like  a  blackberry  or  a  chestnut,  though  the  place  is 
called  Whiskey  Centre  !" 

"  It  is  hard  enough  to  know  that  a  family  has  deserved 
such  a  name,  without  being  reminded  of  it  by  those  that 
call  themselves  friends,"  answered  the  girl  pointedly,  after 
a  pause  of  near  a  minute,  though  she  spoke  in  sorrow 
rather  than  in  anger. 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  85 

In  an  instant  the  bee-hunter  was  at  pretty  Margery's 
side,  making  his  peace  by  zealous  apologies  and  winning 
protestations  of  respect  and  concern.  The  mortified  girl 
was  soon  appeased ;  and,  after  consulting  together  for  a 
minute,  they  went  to  the  canoe  to  communicate  to  the  hus 
band  and  wife  what  they  had  seen. 

"  The  whiskey  after  all  is  likely  to  prove  our  worst 
enemy,"  said  the  bee-hunter  as  he  approached.  "  It  would 
seem  that  in  moving  the  barrels  some  of  the  liquor  has 
escaped,  and  the  nose  of  an  Injin  is  too  quick  for  the  odour 
it  leaves  not  to  scent  it." 

"Much  good  may  it  do  them,"  growled  Gershom — • 
"  they  've  lost  me  that  whiskey,  and  let  them  long  for  it 
without  gettin'  any  as  a  punishment  for  the  same.  My 
fortun'  would  have  been  made  could  I  only  have  got  them 
two  barrels  as  far  as  Fort  Dearborn  before  the  troops 
moved  !" 

"  The  barrels  might  have  been  got  there,  certainly,"  an 
swered  le  Bourdon,  so  much  provoked  at  the  man's  regrets 
for  the  destroyer  which  had  already  come  so  near  to  bring 
ing  want  and  ruin  on  himself  and  family,  as  momentarily 
to  forget  his  recent  scene  with  pretty  Margery;  "but 
whether  anything  would  have  been  in  them  is  another  ques 
tion.  One  of  those  I  rolled  to  the  brow  of  the  hill  was 
half  empty  as  it  was." 

"Gerishom  is  so  troubled  with  the  ague,  if  he  don't  take 
stimulants  in  this  new  country,"  put  in  the  wife,  in  the 
apologetic  manner  in  which  woman  struggles  to  conceal 
the  failings  of  him  she  loves.  "As  for  the  whiskey,  I. 
don't  grudge  that  in  the  least ;  for  it 's  a  poor  way  of  get 
ting  rich  to  be  selling  it  to  soldiers,  who  want  all  the  rea 
son  liquor  has  left  'em,  and  more  too.  Still,  Gershom 
needs  bitters ;  and  ought  not  to  have  every  drop  he  has 
taken  thrown  into  his  face." 

By  this  time  le  Bourdon  was  again  sensible  of  his  mis 
take,  and  he  beat  a  retreat  in  the  best  manner  he  could, 
secretly  resolving  not  to  place  himself  any  more  between 
two  fires,  in  consequence  of  further  blunders  on  this  deli 
cate  subject.  He  now  found  that  it  was  a  very  different 
thing  to  joke  Whiskey  Centre  himself  on  the  subject  of 
his  great  failing,  from  making  even  the  most  distant  allusion 
8 


86  THE     OAK    OPENINGS. 

to  it  in  the  presence  of  those  who  felt  for  a  husband's  and 
a  brother's  weakness,  with  a  liveliness  of  feeling  that  brutal 
indulgence  had  long  since  destroyed  in  the  object  of  their 
solicitude.  He  accordingly  pointed  out  the  risk  there  was 
that  the  Indians  should  make  the  obvious  inference,  that 
human  beings  must  have  recently  been  in  the  hut,  to  leave 
the  fresh  scent  of  the  liquor  in  question  behind  them.  This 
truth  was  so  apparent  that  all  felt  its  force,  though  to  no 
one  else  did  the  danger  seem  so  great  as  to  the  bee-hunter. 
He  had  greater  familiarity  with  the  Indian  character  than 
any  of  his  companions,  and  dreaded  the  sagacity  of  the 
savages  in  a  just  proportion  to  his  greater  knowledge.  He 
did  not  fail,  therefore,  to  admonish  his  new  friends  of  the 
necessity  for  vigilance. 

"  I  will  return  to  the  tree  and  take  another  look  at  the 
movements  of  the  savages,"  le  Bourdon  concluded  by  say 
ing.  "  By  this  time  their  fire  must  be  lighted  ;  and  by  the 
aid  of  my  glass,  a  better  insight  may  be  had  into  their  plans 
and  feelings." 

The  bee-hunter  now  went  back  to  his  tree,  whither  he 
was  slowly  followed  by  Margery ;  the  girl  yielding  to  a 
feverish  desire  to  accompany  him,  at  the  very  time  she  was 
half  restrained  by  maiden  bashfulness ;  though  anxiety  and 
the  wish  to  learn  the  worst  as  speedily  as  possible  prevailed. 

"  They  have  kindled  a  blazing  fire,  and  the  whole  of  the 
inside  of  the  house  is  as  bright  as  if  illuminated,"  said  le 
Bourdon,  who  was  now  carefully  bestowed  among  the 
branches  of  his  small  tree.  "  There  are  lots  of  the  red 
devils  moving  about  the  chiente,  inside  and  out ;  and  they 
seem  to  have  fish  as  well  as  venison  to  cook.  Ay,  there 
goes  more  dry  brush  on  the  fire  to  brighten  up  the  picture, 
and  daylight  is  almost  eclipsed.  As  I  live,  they  have  a 
prisoner  among  'em !" 

"  A  prisoner  !"  exclaimed  Margery,  in  the  gentle  tones 
of  female  pity — "  Not  a  white  person,  surely?" 

"  No — he  is  a  red-skin  like  all  of  them — but— wait  a 
minute  till  I  can  get  the  glass  a  little  more  steady.  Yes — 
it  is  so — I  was  right  at  first !" 

"  What  is  so,  Bourdon — and  in  what  are  you  right?" 

"  You  may  remember,  Blossom,  that  your  brother  and  I 
ipoke  of  two  Injins  who  visited  me  in  the  openings.  One 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  87 

\vas  a  Pottnwattumie  and  the  other  a  Chippevva.  The  first 
we  found  dead  and  scalped,  after  he  had  left  us;  and  the 
last  is  now  in  yonder  hut,  bound  and  a  prisoner.  He  has 
taken  to  the  lake  on  his  way  to  Fort  Dearborn,  and  has, 
with  all  his  craft  and  resolution,  fallen  into  enemy's  hands. 
Well  will  it  be  for  him  if  his  captors  do  not  learn  what 
befel  the  warrior  who  was  slain  near  my  cabin,  and  left 
seated  against  a  tree !" 

"  Do  you  think  these  savages  mean  to  revenge  the  death 
of  their  brother  on  this  unfortunate  wretch?" 

"I  know  that  he  is  in  the  pay  of  our  general  at  Detroit, 
while  the  Pottawattamies  are  in  the  pay  of  the  English. 
This  of  itself  would  make  them  enemies,  and  has  no  doubt 
been  the  cause  of  his  being  taken ;  but  I  do  not  well  see 
how  Injins  on  the  lake  here  can  know  anything  of  what 
has  happened  some  fifty  miles  or  so  up  in  the  openings." 

"  Perhaps  the  savages  in  the  canoes  belong  to  the  same 
party  as  the  warrior  you  call  Elksfoot,  and  that  they  have 
had  the  means  of  learning  his  death,  and  by  whose  hand 
he  fell." 

The  bee-hunter  was  surprised  at  the  quickness  of  the 
girl's  wit,  the  suggestion  being  as  discreet  as  it  was  inge 
nious.  The  manner  in  which  intelligence  flies  through  the 
wilderness  had  often  surprised  him,  and  certainly  it  was 
possible  that  the  party  now  before  him  might  have  heard 
of  the  fate  of  the  chief  whose  body  he  had  found  in  the 
openings,  short  as  was  the  time  for  the  news  to  have  gone 
so  far.  The  circumstance  that  the  canoes  had  come  from 
the  northward  was  against  the  inference,  however,  and  aftet 
musing  a  minute  on  the  facts,  le  Bourdon  mentioned  this 
objection  to  his  companion. 

"Are  we  certain  these  are  the  same  canoes  as  those 
which  I  saw  pass  this  afternoon  ?"  asked  Margery,  who 
comprehended  the  difficulty  in  an  instant.  "Of  those  I 
saw,  two  passed  first,  and  one  followed ;  while  here  are 
four  that  have  landed." 

"  What  you  say  may  be  true  enough.  We  are  not  to 
suppose  that  the  canoes  you  saw  pass  are  all  that  are  on 
the  lake.  But  let  the  savages  be  whom  they  may,  prudence 
tells  us  to  keep  clear  of  them  if  we  can ;  and  this  more  so 


OO  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

than  ever,  now  I  can  see  that  Pigeonswing,  who  I  know  to 
be  an  American  Injin,  is  treated  by  them  as  an  enemy." 

"  How  are  the  savages  employed  now,  Bourdon  ?  Do 
they  prepare  to  eat,  or  do  they  torture  their  prisoner  ?" 

"  No  fear  of  their  attempting  the  last  to-night.  There 
is  an  uneasiness  about  them,  as  if  they  still  smelt  the  liquor  ; 
but  some  are  busy  cooking  at  the  fire.  I  would  give  all 
my  honey,  pretty  Margery,  to  be  able  to  save  Pigeonswing  ! 
He  is  a  good  fellow  for  a  savage,  and  is  heart  and  hand 
with  us  in  this  new  war,  that  he  tells  me  has  begun  be 
tween  us  and  the  English  !" 

"  You  surely  would  not  risk  your  own  life  to  save  a  sa 
vage,  who  kills  and  scalps  at  random,  as  this  man  has 
done  I" 

"  In  that  he  has  but  followed  the  habits  of  his  colour 
and  race.  I  dare  say  we  do  things  that  are  quite  as  bad, 
according  to  Injin  ways  of  thinking.  I  do  believe,  Mar 
gery,  was  that  man  to  see  me  in  the  hands  of  the  Pottawat- 
tamies,  as  I  now  see  him,  he  would  undertake  something 
for  my  relief." 

"  But  what  can  you,  a  single  man,  do  when  there  are 
twenty  against  you?"  asked  Margery,  a  little  reproachfully 
as  to  manner,  speaking  like  one  who  had  more  interest  in 
the  safety  of  the  young  bee-hunter  than  she  chose  very 
openly  to  express. 

"  No  one  can  say  what  he  can  do  till  he  tries.  I  do  not 
like  the  way  they  are  treating  that  Chippewa,  for  it  looks 
as  if  they  meant  to  do  him  harm.  He  is  neither  fed,  nor 
suffered  to  be  with  his  masters ;  but  there  the  poor  fellow 
is,  bound  hand  and  foot  near  the  cabin  door,  and  lashed  to 
a  tree.  They  do  not  even  give  him  the  relief  of  suffering 
him  to  sit  down." 

The  gentle  heart  of  Margery  was  touched  by  this  account 
of  the  manner  in  which  the  captive  was  treated,  and  she 
inquired  into  other  particulars  concerning  his  situation, 
with  a  more  marked  interest  than  she  had  previously  ma 
nifested  in  his  state.  The  bee-hunter  answered  her  ques 
tions  as  they  were  put;  and  the  result  was  to  place  the  girl 
in  possession  of  a  minute  detail  of  the  true  manner  in 
which  Pigeonswing  was  treated. 

Although  there  was  probably  no  intention  on  the  part 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  89 

of  the  captors  of  the  Chippewa  to  torture  him  before  his 
time,  tortured  he  must  have  been  by  the  manner  in  which 
his  limbs  and  body  were  confined.  Not  only  were  his 
arms  fastened  behind  his  back  at  the  elbows,  but  the  hands 
were  also  tightly  bound  together  in  front.  The  legs  had 
ligatures  in  two  places,  just  above  the  knees  and  just  below 
the  ancles.  Around  the  body  was  another  fastening,  which 
secured  the  captive  to  a  beech  that  stood  about  thirty  feet 
from  the  door  of  the  cabin,  and  so  nearly  in  a  line  with  the 
fire  within  and  the  look-out  of  le  Bourdon,  as  to  enable  the 
last  distinctly  to  note  these  particulars,  aided  as  he  was  by 
his  glass.  Relying  on  the  manner  in  which  they  had  se 
cured  their  prisoner,  the  savages  took  little  heed  of  him ; 
but  each  appeared  bent  on  attending  to  his  own  comfort, 
by  means  of  a  good  supper,  and  by  securing  a  dry  lair  in 
which  to  pass  the  night.  All  this  le  Bourdon  saw  and 
noted  too,  ere  he  dropped  lightly  on  his  feet  by  the  side  of 
Margery,  at  the  root  of  the  tree. 

Without  losing  time  that  was  precious,  the  bee-hunter 
went  at  once  to  the  canoes  and  communicated  his  intention 
to  Waring.  The  moon  had  now  set,  and  the  night  was 
favourable  to  the  purposes  of  le  Bourdon.  At  the  first 
glance  it  might  seem  wisest  to  wait  until  sleep  had  fallen 
upon  the  savages,  ere  any  attempt  were  made  to  approach 
the  hut ;  but  Boden  reasoned  differently.  A  general  silence 
would  succeed  as  soon  as  the  savages  disposed  of  themselves 
to  sleep,  which  would  be  much  more  likely  to  allow  his 
footsteps  to  be  overheard,  than  when  tongues  and  bodies 
and  teeth  were  all  in  active  movement.  A  man  who  eats 
after  a  long  march,  or  a  severe  paddling,  usually  concen 
trates  his  attention  on  his  food,  as  le  Bourdon  knew  by 
long  experience;  and  it  is  a  much  better  moment  to  steal 
upon  the  hungry  and  weary,  to  do  so  when  they  feed,  than 
to  do  so  when  they  sleep,  provided  anything  like  a  watch 
be  kept.  That  the  Pottawattamies  would  neglect  this  latter 
caution  le  Bourdon  did  not  believe;  and  his  mind  was 
made  up,  not  only  to  attempt  the  rescue  of  his  Chippewa 
friend,  but  to  attempt  it  at  once. 

After  explaining  his  plan  in  a  few  words,  and  requesting 
Waring's  assistance,  le  Bourdon  took  a  solemn  leave  of  the 
party,  and  proceeded  at  once  towards  the  hut.  In  order 
8* 


90  THE     OAK    OPENINGS. 

to  understand  the  movements  of  the  bee-hunter,  it  may  bg 
well  now  briefly  to  explain  the  position  of  the  chiente,  a  i  1 
the  nature  of  the  ground  on  which  the  adventurer  was  re 
quired  to  act.  The  hut  stood  on  a  low  and  somewhat  ab 
rupt  swell,  being  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  land  so  low,  a<* 
to  be  in  many  places  wet  and  swampy.  There  were  a  good 
many  trees  on  the  knoll,  and  several  thickets  of  alders  and 
other  bushes  on  the  lower  ground ;  but,  on  the  whole,  the 
swamps  were  nearly  devoid  of  what  is  termed  "  timber.' 
Two  sides  of  the  knoll  were  abrupt;  that  on  which  the 
casks  had  been  rolled  into  the  lake,  and  that  opposite, 
which  was  next  to  the  tree  whence  Boden  had  so  long  been 
watching  the  proceedings  of  the  savages.  The  distance 
between  the  hut  and  this  tree  was  somewhat  less  than  a 
mile.  The  intervening  ground  was  low,  and  most  of  it 
was  marshy  ;  though  it  was  possible  to  cross  the  marsh  by 
following  a  particular  course.  Fortunately  this  course, 
which  was  visible  to  the  eye  by  daylight,  and  had  been  taken 
by  the  fugitives  on  quitting  the  hut,  might  be  dimly  traced 
at  night  by  one  who  understood  the  ground,  by  means  of 
certain  trees  and  bushes,  that  formed  so  many  finger-posts 
for  the  traveller.  Unless  this  particular  route  were  taken, 
however,  a  circuit  of  three  or  four  miles  must  be  made,  in 
order  to  pass  from  the  chientg  to  the  spot  where  the  family 
had  taken  refuge.  As  le  Bourdon  had  crossed  this  firm 
ground  by  daylight,  and  had  observed  it  well  from  his  tree, 
he  thought  himself  enough  of  a  guide  to  find  his  way 
through  it  in  the  dark,  aided  by  the  marks  just  mentioned. 
The  bee-hunter  had  got  as  far  as  the  edge  of  the  marsh 
on  his  way  towards  the  hut,  when  pausing  an  instant  to 
examine  the  priming  of  his  rifle,  he  fancied  that  he  heard 
a  light  footstep  behind  him.  Turning,  quick  as  thought, 
he  perceived  that  pretty  Margery  had  followed  him  thus 
far.  Although  time  pressed,  he  could  not  part  from  the 
girl  without  showing  that  he  appreciated  the  interest  she 
manifested  in  his  behalf.  Taking  her  hand,  therefore,  he 
spoke  with  a  simplicity  and  truth,  that  imparted  to  his 
manner  a  natural  grace  that  one  bred  in  courts  might  have 
envied.  What  was  more,  with  a  delicacy  that  few  in  courts 
would  deem  necessary  under  the  circumstances,  he  did  not 
in  his  language  so  much  impute  to  concern  on  his  own 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  91 

account  this  movement  of  Margery's,  as  to  that  she  felt  for 
her  brother  and  sister ;  though  in  his  inmost  heart  a  throb 
bing  hope  prevailed  that  he  had  his  share  in  it. 

"  Do  not  be  troubled  on  account  of  Gershom  and  his 
wife,  pretty  Margery,"  said  the  bee-hunter,  "  which,  as  I 
perceive,  is  the  main  reason  why  you  have  come  here ;  and 
as  for  myself,  be  certain  that  I  shall  not  forget  who  I  have 
left  behind,  and  how  much  her  safety  depends  on  my  pru 
dence." 

Margery  was  pleased,  though  a  good  deal  confused.  It 
was  new  to  her  to  hear  allusions  of  this  sort,  but  nature 
supplied  the  feeling  to  appreciate  them. 

"  Is  it  not  risking  too  much,  Bourdon  ?"  she  said.  "Are 
you  sure  of  being  able  to  find  the  crossing  in  the  marsh, 
in  a  night  so  very  dark?  I  do  not  know  but  looking  so 
long  at  the  bright  light  in  the  cabin  may  blind  me,  but  it 
docs  seem  as  if  I  never  saw  a  darker  night !" 

"The  darkness  increases,  for  the  star-light  is  gone;  but 
I  can  see  where  I  go,  and  so  long  as  I  can  do  that  there  is 
not  much  fear  of  losing  my  way.  I  do  not  like  to  expose 
you  to  danger,  but — " 

"  Never  mind  me,  Bourdon — set  me  to  do  anything  in 
which  you  think  I  can  be  of  use!"  exclaimed  the  girl, 
eagerly. 

"  Well  then,  Margery,  you  may  do  this :  Come  with  me 
to  the  large  tree  in  the  centre  of  the  marsh,  and  I  will  set 
you  on  a  duty  that  may  possibly  save  my  life.  I  will  tell 
you  my  meaning  when  there." 

Margery  followed  with  a  light,  impatient  step;  and,  as 
neither  stopped  to  speak  or  to  look  around,  the  two  soon 
stood  beneath  the  tree  in  question.  It  was  a  large  elm  that 
completely  overshadowed  a  considerable  extent  of  firm 
ground.  Here  a  full  and  tolerably  near  view  could  be 
had  of  the  hut,  which  was  still  illuminated  by  the  blazing 
fire  within.  For  a  minute  both  stood  silently  gazing  at  the 
strange  scene;  then  le  Bourdon  explained  to  his  companion 
the  manner  in  which  she  might  assist  him. 

Once  at  the  elm,  it  was  not  so  difficult  to  find  the  way 
across  the  marsh,  as  it  was  to  reach  that  spot,  coming/row 
the  chiente.  As  there  were  several  elms  scattered  about  in 
the  centre  of  the  marsh,  the  bee-hunter  was  fearful  that  he 


92  THEOAKOPENINGS. 

might  not  reach  the  right  tree;  in  which  case  he  would  bo 
compelled  to  retrace  his  steps,  and  that  at  the  imminent 
hazard  of  being  captured.  He  carried  habitually  a  small 
dark  lantern,  and  had  thought  of  so  disposing  of  it  in  the 
lower  branches  of  this  very  elm,  as  to  form  a  focus  of  it, 
but  hesitated  about  doing  that  which  might  prove  a  guide 
to  his  enemies  as  well  as  to  himself.  If  Margery  would 
take  charge  of  this  lantern,  he  could  hope  to  reap  its  ad 
vantages  without  incurring  the  hazard  of  having  a  light 
suspended  in  the  tree  for  any  length  of  time.  Margery 
understood  the  lessons  she  received,  and  promised  to  obey 
all  the  injunctions  by  which  they  were  accompanied. 

"Now,  God  bless  you,  Margery,"  added  the  bee-hunter. 
"  Providence  has  brought  me  and  your  brother's  family  to 
gether  in  troublesome  times;  should  I  get  back  safe  from 
this  adventure,  I  shall  look  upon  it  as  a  duty  to  do  all  I  can 
to  help  Gershom  place  his  wife  and  sister  beyond  the  reach 
of  harm." 

"  God  bless  you,  Bourdon  !"  half  whispered  the  agitated 
girl.  "  I  know  it  is  worth  some  risk  to  save  a  human  life, 
even  though  it  be  that  of  an  Injin,  and  I  will  not  try  to 
persuade  you  from  this  undertaking;  but  do  not  attempt 
more  than  is  necessary,  and  rely  on  my  using  the  lantern 
just  as  you  have  told  me  to  use  it." 

Those  young  persons  had  not  yet  known  each  other  a 
single  day,  yet  both  felt  that  confidence  which  years  alone, 
in  the  crowds  of  the  world,  can  ordinarily  create  in  the 
human  mind.  The  cause  of  the  sympathy  which  draws 
heart  to  heart,  which  generates  friendships,  and  love,  and 
passionate  attachments,  is  not  obvious  to  all  who  choose  to 
talk  of  it.  There  is  yet  a  profound  mystery  in  our  organi 
zation,  which  has  hitherto  escaped  the  researches  of  both 
classes  of  philosophers,  and  which  it  probably  was  the  de 
sign  of  the  Creator  should  not  be  made  known  to  us  until 
we  draw  nearer  to  thnt  great  end  which,  sooner  or  later,  is 
to  be  accomplished  in  behalf  of  our  race,  when  "  know 
ledge  will  abound,"  and  we  shall  better  understand  our 
being  and  its  objects  than  is  permitted  to  us  in  this  our 
day  of  ignorance.  But  while  we  cannot  trace  the  causes 
of  a  thousand  things,  we  know  and  feel  their  effects. 
Among  the  other  mysteries  of  our  nature  is  this  of  sudden 


THEOAKOPENINGS.  93 

and  strong  sympathies,  which,  as  between  men  for  men,  and 
women  for  women,  awaken  confidence  and  friendship ;  and 
as  between  those  of  different  sexes,  excite  passionate  at 
tachments  that  more  or  less  colour  their  future  lives.  The 
great  delineator  of  our  common  nature,  in  no  one  of  the 
many  admirable  pictures  he  has  drawn  of  men,  manifests 
a  more  profound  knowledge  of  his  subject,  than  in  that  in 
which  he  pourtrays  the  sudden  and  nearly  ungovernable 
inclination  which  Romeo  and  Juliet  are  made  to  display 
for  each  other ;  an  inclination  that  sets  reason,  habit,  pre 
judice,  and  family  enmities,  at  defiance.  That  such  an  at 
tachment  is  to  be  commended,  we  do  not  say ;  that  all  can 
feel  it,  we  do  not  believe;  that  connections  formed  under  its 
influence  can  always  be  desirable,  we  are  far  from  thinking: 
but  that  it  may  exist  we  believe  is  just  as  certain  as  any 
of  the  incomprehensible  laws  of  our  wayward  and  yet  ad 
mirable  nature.  We  have  no  Veronese  tale  to  relate  here, 
however,  but  simply  a  homely  legend,  in  which  human  feel 
ing  may  occasionally  be  made  to  bear  an  humble  resem 
blance  to  that  world-renowned  picture  which  had  its  scenes 
in  the  beautiful  capital  of  Venetian  Lombardy. 

When  le  Bourdon  left  his  companion,  now  so  intensely 
interested  in  his  success,  to  pick  his  way  in  the  darkness 
across  the  remainder  of  the  marsh,  Margery  retired  behind 
the  tree,  where  the  first  thing  she  did  was  to  examine  her 
lantern,  and  to  see  that  its  light  was  ready  to  perform  the 
very  important  office  which  might  so  speedily  be  required 
of  it.  Satisfied  on  this  point,  she  turned  her  eyes  anxiously 
in  the  direction  of  the  hut.  By  this  time  every  trace  of 
the  bee-hunter  was  lost,  the  hillock  in  his  front  forming  too 
dark  a  back-ground  to  admit  of  his  being  seen.  But  the 
fire  still  blazed  in  the  ckicnte,  the  savages  not  having  yet 
finished  their  cooking,  though  several  had  satisfied  their 
appetites,  and  had  already  sought  places  where  they  might 
stretch  themselves  for  the  night.  Margery  was  glad  to  see 
that  these  last  individuals  bestowed  themselves  within  the 
influence  of  the  fire,  warm  as  was  the  night.  This  was 
done  most  probably  to  escape  from  the  annoyance  of  the 
musquitoes,  more  or  less  of  which  are  usually  found  in  the 
low  lands  of  the  new  countries,  and  near  the  margins  of 
rivers. 


94  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

Margery  could  distinctly  see  the  Chippewa,  erect  and 
bound  to  his  tree.  On  him  she  principally  kept  her  looks 
riveted,  for  near  his  person  did  she  expect  first  again  to 
find  the  bee-hunter.  Indeed,  there  was  no  chance  of  seeing 
one  who  was  placed  beneath  the  light  of  the  fire,  since  the 
brow  of  the  acclivity  formed  a  complete  cover,  throwing 
all  below  it  into  deep  shade.  This  circumstance  was  ol 
the  greatest  importance  to  the  adventurer,  however,  ena 
bling  him  to  steal  quite  near  to  his  friend,  favoured  by  a 
darkness  that  was  getting  to  be  intense.  Quitting  Margery, 
we  will  now  rejoin  le  Bourdon,  who  by  this  time  was  ap 
proaching  his  goal. 

The  bee-hunter  bad  some  difficulty  in  finding  his  way 
across  the  marsh  ;  but  floundering  through  the  impediments, 
and  on  the  whole  preserving  the  main  direction,  he  got  out 
on  the  firm  ground  quite  as  soon  as  he  had  expected  to 
do.  It  was  necessary  for  him  to  use  extreme  caution. 
The  Indians  according  to  their  custom  had  dogs,  two  of 
which  had  been  in  sight,  lying  about  half-way  between  the 
prisoner  and  the  door  of  the  hut.  Boden  had  seen  a  savage 
feeding  these  dogs;  and  it  appeared  to  him  at  the  time  as 
if  the  Indian  had  been  telling  them  to  be  watchful  of  the 
Chippewa.  He  well  knew  the  services  that  the  red  men 
expected  of  these  animals,  which  Ire  kept  rather  as  senti 
nels  than  for  any  great  use  they  put  them  to  in  the  hunts. 
An  Indian  dog  is  quick  enough  to  give  the  alarm,  and  he 
will  keep  on  a  trail  for  a  long  run  and  with  considerable 
accuracy,  but  it  is  seldom  that  he  closes  and  has  his  share 
in  the  death,  unless  in  the  case  of  very  timid  and  powerless 
crentures. 

Nevertheless,  the  presence  of  these  dogs  exacted  extra 
c-uitinn  in  the  movements  of  the  bee-hunter.  He  had 
ascended  the  hill  a  little  out  of  the  stream  of  light  which 
still  issued  from  the  open  door  of  the  hut,  and  was  soon 
high  enough  to  get  a  good  look  at  the  state  of  things  on 
the  bit  of  level  land  around  the  cabin.  Fully  one-half  of 
the  savages  were  yet  up  and  in  motion  ;  though  the  pro 
cesses  of  cooking  and  eating  were  by  this  time  nearly 
ended.  These  men  had  senses  almost  as  acute  as  those  of 
their  dogs,  and  it  was  very  necessary  to  be  on  his  guard 
against  them  also.  By  moving  with  the  utmost  caution,  le 


THEOAKOPENINGS.  95 

Bourdon  reached  the  edge  of  the  line  of  light,  where  he 
was  within  ten  yards  of  the  captive.  Here  he  placed  his 
ririe  against  a  small  tree,  and  drew  his  knife,  in  readiness 
to  cut  the  prisoner's  thongs.  Three  several  times,  while 
the  bee-hunter  was  making  these  preparations,  did  the  two 
dogs  raise  their  heads  and  scent  the  air ;  once,  the  oldest 
of  the  two  gave  a  deep  and  most  ominous  growl.  Singular 
as  it  may  seem,  this  last  indication  of  giving  the  alarm  was 
of  great  service  to  le  Bourdon  and  the  Chippewa.  The 
latter  heard  the  growl,  and  saw  two  of  the  movements  of 
the  animals'  heads,  from  all  which  he  inferred  that  there 
was  some  creature,  or  some  danger  behind  him.  This  na 
turally  enough  induced  him  to  bestow  a  keen  attention  in 
that  direction,  and  being  unable  to  turn  body,  limbs,  or 
head,  the  sense  of  hearing  was  his  only  means  of  watchful 
ness.  It  was  while  in  this  state  of  profound  listening  that 
Pigeonswing  fancied  he  heard  his  own  name,  in  such  a 
whisper  as  one  raises  when  he  wishes  to  call  from  a  short 
distance  with  the  least  possible  expenditure  of  voice.  Pre 
sently  the  words  "  Pigeonswing,"  and  "  Chippewa,"  were 
succeeded  by  those  of  "  bee-hunter,"  "  Bourdon."  This 
was  enough :  the  quick-witted  warrior  made  a  low  ejacu 
lation,  such  as  might  be  mistaken  for  a  half-suppressed 
murmur  that  proceeded  from  pain,  but  which  one  keenly 
on  the  watch,  and  who  was  striving  to  communicate  with 
him,  would  be  apt  to  understand  as  a  sign  of  attention. 
The  whispering  then  ceased  altogether,  and  the  prisoner 
waited  the  result  with  the  stoic  patience  of  an  American 
Indian.  A  minute  later  the  Chippewa  felt  the  thongs  giving 
way,  and  his  arms  were  released  at  the  elbows.  An  arm 
was  next  passed  round  his  body,  and  the  fastenings  at  the 
wrist  were  cut.  At  this  instant  a  voice  whispered  in  his 
ear — "  Be  of  good  heart,  Chippewa — your  friend,  Bourdon, 
is  here.  Can  you  stand  ?" 

"  No  stand,"  answered  the  Indian  in  a  low  whisper — 
"  too  much  tie." 

At  the  next  moment  the  feet  of  the  Chippewa  were  re 
leased,  as  were  also  his  knees.  Of  all  the  fastenings  none 
now  remained  but  that  which  bound  the  captive  to  the  tree. 
In  not  cutting  this,  the  bee-hunter  manifested  his  coolness 
and  judgment ;  for  were  the  stout  rope  of  bark  severed, 


96  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

the  Indian  would  have  fallen  like  a  log.  from  total  inability 
to  stand.  His  thongs  had  impeded  the  circulation  of  the 
blood,  and  the  usual  temporary  paralysis  had  been  the 
consequence.  Pigeonswing  understood  the  reason  of  his» 
friend's  forbearance,  and  managed  to  rub  his  hands  and 
wrists  together,  while  the  bee-hunter  himself  applied  fric 
tion  to  his  feet,  by  passing  his  own  arms  around  the  bottom 
of  the  tree.  The  reader  may  imagine  the  intense  anxiety 
of  Margery  the  while ;  for  she  witnessed  the  arrival  of  le 
Bourdon  at  the  tree,  and  could  not  account  for  the  long 
delay  which  succeeded. 

All  this  time,  the  dogs  were  far  from  being  quiet  or  sa 
tisfied.  Their  masters,  accustomed  to  being  surrounded 
at  night  by  wolves  and  foxes,  or  other  beasts,  took  little 
heed,  however,  of  the  discontent  of  these  creatures,  which 
were  in  the  habit  of  growling  in  their  lairs.  The  bee- 
hunter,  as  he  kept  rubbing  at  his  friend's  legs,  felt  now  but 
litle  apprehension  of  the  dogs,  though  a  new  source  of 
alarm  presented  itself  by  the  time  the  Chippewa  was  barely 
able  to  sustain  his  weight  on  his  feet,  and  long  before  he 
could  use  them  with  anything  like  his  former  agility.  The 
manner  in  which  the  savages  came  together  in  the  hut,  and 
the  gestures  made  by  their  chief,  announced  pretty  plainly 
that  a  watch  was  about  to  be  set  for  the  night.  As  it  was 
probable  that  the  sentinel  would  take  his  station  near  the 
prisoner,  the  bee-hunter  was  at  a  loss  to  decide  whether  it 
were  better  to  commence  the  flight  before  or  after  the  rest 
of  the  savages  were  in  their  lairs.  Placing  his  mouth  as 
close  to  the  ear  of  Pigeonswing  as  could  be  done  without 
bringing  his  head  into  the  light,  the  following  dialogue 
passed  between  le  Bourdon  and  the  captive. 

"  Do  you  see,  Chippewa,"  the  bee-hunter  commenced, 
"  the  chief  is  telling  one  of  his  young  men  to  come  and 
keep  guard  near  you?" 

"  See  him,  well  'nough.  Make  too  many  sign,  no  to 
see." 

"What  think  you  —  shall  we  wait  till  the  warriors  are 
asleep,  or  try  to  be  off  before  the  sentinel  comes  ?" 

"  Bess  wait,  if  one  t'ing  You  got  rifle — got  tomahawk 
—got  knife,  eh?" 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  97 

"I  have  them  all,  though  my  rifle  is  a  short  distance  be 
hind  me,  and  a  little  down  the  hill." 

"  Dat  bad — nebber  let  go  rifle  on  war-path.  Well  you 
tomahawk  him— /scalp  him — dat '11  do." 

"  I  shall  kill  no  man,  Chippewa,  unless  there  is  great 
occasion  for  it.  If  there  is  no  other  mode  of  getting  you 
off',  I  shall  choose  to  cut  this  last  thong,  and  leave  you  to 
take  care  of  yourself.' 

"  Give  him  tomahawk,  den — give  him  knife,  too." 

"  Not  for  such  a  purpose.  I  do  r/ot  like  to  shed  biood 
without  a  good  reason  for  it." 

"  No  call  war  good  reason,  eh  ?  Bess  reason  in  world. 
Pottawattamie  dig  up  hatchet  ag'in  Great  Fadder  at  Wash'- 
ton — dat  no  good  reason  why  take  his  scalp,  eh  ?" 

In  whispering  these  last  words  the  Chippewa  used  so 
much  energy,  that  the  dogs  again  raised  their  heads  from 
between  their  fore  paws  and  growled.  Almost  at  that  in 
stant  the  chief  and  his  few  remaining  wakeful  companions 
laid  themselves  down  to  sleep,  and  the  young  warrior  de 
signated  as  the  sentinel  left  the  hut  and  came  slowly  towards 
the  prisoner.  The  circumstances  admitted  of  no  delay ; 
le  Bourdon  pressed  the  keen  edge  of  his  knife  across  the 
withe  that  bound  the  Indian  to  the  tree ;  first  giving  him 
notice,  in  order  that  he  might  be  prepared  to  sustain  his 
own  weight.  This  done,  the  bee-hunter  dropped  on  the 
ground,  crawling  away  out  of  the  light;  though  the  brow 
of  the  hill  almost  immediately  formed  a  screen  to  conceal 
his  person  from  all  near  the  hut.  In  another  instant  he 
had  regained  his  rifle,  and  was  descending  swiftly  towards 
the  crossing  at  the  marsh. 


98  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

•  "We  call  them  savage — Oh,  be  just ! 

Their  outraged  feelings  scan ; 
A  voice  comes  forth,  't  is  from  the  dust— 
The  savage  was  a  man! 

SPHAGUE. 

As  soon  as  le  Bourdon  reached  the  commencement  of 
that  which  might  be  called  his  path  across  the  marsh,  he 
stopped  and  looked  backward.  >  He  was  now  sufficiently 
removed  from  the  low  acclivity  to  see  objects  on  its  summit, 
and  had  no  difficulty  in  discerning  all  that  the  waning 
fire  illuminated.  There  stood  the  Chippewa  erect  against 
the  tree  as  if  still  bound  with  thongs,  while  the  sentinel 
was  slowly  approaching  him.  The  dogs  were  on  their  feet, 
and  gave  two  or  three  sharp  barks,  which  had  the  effect  to 
cause  five  or  six  of  the  savages  to  lift  their  heads  in  their 
lairs.  One  arose  even  and  threw  an  armful  of  dried 
branches  on  the  fire,  producing  a  bright  blaze,  that  brought 
everything  around  the  hut,  and  which  the  light  could  touch, 
into  full  view. 

The  bee-hunter  was  astonished  at  the  immovable  calm 
ness  with  which  Pigeonswing  still  stood  to  his  tree,  await 
ing  the  approach  of  the  sentinel.  In  a  few  moments  the 
latter  was  at  his  side.  At  first  the  Pottawattamie  did  not 
perceive  that  the  prisoner  was  unbound.  He  threw  him 
tito  shadow  by  his  own  person,  and  it  required  a  close 
j,ook  to  note  the  circumstance.  Boden  was  too  far  from 
the  spot  to  see  all  the  minor  movements  of  the  parties,  bur 
there  was  soon  a  struggle  that  could  not  be  mistaken.  As 
the  Pottawattamie  was  examining  the  prisoner,  an  excla 
mation  that  escaped  him  betrayed  the  sudden  consciousness 
that  the  Chippewa  was  unbound.  The  sound  was  no  sooner 
uttered  than  Pigeonswing  made  a  grasp  at  the  sentinel's 
knife,  which  however  he  did  not  obtain,  when  the  two  closed 
and  fell,  rolling  down  the  declivity  into  the  darkness.  When 
the  Pottawattamie  seized  the  Chippewa,  he  uttered  a  yell, 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  99 

which  instantly  brought  every  man  of  his  party  to  his  feet. 
As  the  savages  now  united  in  the  whoops,  and  the  dogs 
began  to  bark  wildly,  an  infernal  clamour  was  made. 

At  first,  le  Bourdon  did  not  know  how  to  act.  He  greatly 
feared  the  dogs,  and  could  not  but  think  of  Margery,  and 
the  probable  consequences,  should  those  sagacious  animals 
follow  him  across  the  marsh.  But  he  did  not  like  the  idea 
of  abandoning  Pigeonswing,  when  a  single  blow  of  his  arm, 
or  a  kick  of  his  foot,  might  be  the  cause  of  his  escape. 
While  deliberating  in  painful  uncertainty,  the  sounds  of  the 
struggle  ceased,  and  he  saw  the  sentinel  rising  again  into 
the  light,  limping  like  one  who  had  suffered  by  a  fall.  Pre 
sently  he  heard  a  footstep  near  him,  and,  calling  in  a  low 
voice,  he  was  immediately  joined  by  Pigeonswing.  Before 
the  bee-hunter  was  aware 'of  his  intention,  the  Chippewa 
seized  his  rifle,  and  levelling  it  at  the  sentinel,  who  still 
stood  on  the  brow  of  the  hill,  drawn  in  all  his  savage  out 
lines  distinctly  in  the  light  of  the  flames,  he  fired.  The  cry, 
the  leap  into  the  air,  and  the  fall,  announced  the  unerring 
character  of  the  aim.  In  corning  to  the  earth,  the  wounded 
man  fell  over  the  brow  of  the  sharp  acclivity,  and  was  heard 
rolling  towards  its  base. 

Le  Bourdon  felt  the  importance  of  now  improving  the 
precious  moments,  and  was  in  the  act  of  urging  his  com 
panion  to  follow,  when  the  latter  passed  an  arm  around  his 
body,  whipped  his  knife  from  the  girdle  and  sheath,  and 
dropping  the  rifle  into  his  friend's  arms,  bounded  away  in 
the  darkness,  taking  the  direction  of  his  fallen  enemy. 
There  was  no  mistaking  all  this;  the  Chippewa,  led  by  his 
own  peculiar  sense  of  honour,  risking  everything  to  obtain 
the  usual  trophy  of  victory.  By  this  time,  a  do*zen  of  the 
savages  stood  on  the  brow  of  the  hill,  seemingly  at  a  loss 
to  understand  what  had  become  of  the  combatants.  Per- 
ceivina  this,  the  bee-hunter  profited  by  the  delay  and  re 
loaded  his  rifle.  As  everything  passed  almost  as  swiftly  as 
the  electric  spark  is  known  to  travel,  it  was  but  a  moment 
after  the  Pottawattamie  fell  ere  his  conqueror  was  through 
with  his  bloody  task.  Just  as  le  Bourdon  threw  his  rifle 
up  into  the  hollow  of  his  arm,  he  was  rejoined  by  his  red 
friend,  who  bore  the  reeking  scalp  of  the  sentinel  at  his 
belt ;  though  fortunately  the  bee-hunter  did  not  see  it  on 


100  THE    OAK     UiSNINGS. 

account  of  the  obscurity,  else  might  he  not  have  been  so 
willing  to  continue  to  act  with  so  ruthless  an  ally. 

Further  stay  was  out  of  the  question ;  for  the  Indiana 
were  now  collected  in  a  body  on  the  brow  of  the  hill, 
where  the  chief  was  rapidly  issuing  his  orders.  In  a  mi 
nute  the  band  dispersed,  every  man  bounding  into  the  dark 
ness,  as  if  aware  of  the  danger  of  remaining  within  the 
influence  of  the  bright  light  thrown  from  the  fire.  Then 
came  such  a  clamour  from  the  dogs,  as  left  no  doubt  in  the 
mind  of  the  bee-hunter  that  they  had  scented  and  found 
the  remains  of  the  fallen  man.  A  fierce  yell  came  from 
the  same  spot,  the  proof  that  some  of  the  savages  had  al 
ready  discovered  the  body ;  and  le  Bourdon  told  his  com 
panion  to  follow,  taking  his  way  across  the  marsh  as  fast 
as  he  could  overcome  the  difficulties  of  the  path. 

It  has  already  been  intimated  that  it  was  not  easy,  if  in 
deed  it  were  possible,  to  cross  that  piece  of  low  wet  land 
in  a  direct  line.  There  was  tolerably  firm  ground  on  it, 
but  it  lay  in  an  irregular  form,  its  presence  being  generally 
to  be  noted  by  the  growth  of  trees.  Le  Bourdon  had  been 
very  careful  in  taking  his  land-marks,  foreseeing  the  pn> 
bability  of  a  hasty  retreat,  and  he  had  no  difficulty  for 
some  time  in  keeping  in  the  right  direction.  But  the  dogs 
soon  left  the  dead  body,  and  came  bounding  across  the 
marsh,  disregarding  its  difficulties;  though  their  plunges 
and  yells  soon  made  it  apparent  that  even  they  did  not 
escape  altogether  with  dry  feet.  As  for  the  savages,  they 
poured  down  the  declivity  in  a  stream,  taking  the  dogs  as 
their  guides ;  and  safe  ones  they  might  well  be  accounted, 
so  far  as  the  scent  was  concerned,  though  they  did  not 
happen  to  be  particularly  well  acquainted  with  all  the  diffi 
culties  of  the  path. 

At  length  le  Bourdon  paused,  causing  his  companion  to 
stop  also.  In  the  hurry  and  confusion  of  the  flight,  the 
former  had  lost  his  land-marks,  finding  himself  amidst  a 
copse  of  small  trees,  or  large  bushes,  but  not  in  the  parti 
cular  copse  he  sought.  Every  effort  to  get  out  of  this 
thicket,  except  by  the  way  he  had  entered  it,  proved  abor 
tive,  and  the  dogs  were  barking  at  no  great  distance  in  his 
rear.  It  is  true  that  these  animals  no  longer  approached ; 
for  they  were  floundering  in  the  mud  and  water;  b»it 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  101 

their  throats  answered  every  purpose  to  lead  the  pursuers 
on,  and  the  low  calls  that  passed  from  mouth  to  mouth,  let 
the  pursued  understand  that  the  Pottawattamies  were  at 
their  heels,  if  not  absolutely  on  their  trail. 

The  crisis  demanded  both  discretion  and  decision;  qua 
lities  in  which  the  bee-hunter,  with  his  forest  training,  was 
not  likely  to  be  deficient.  He  looked  out  for  the  path  by 
which  he  had  reached  the  unfortunate  thicket,  and  having 
found  it,  commenced  a  retreat  by  the  way  he  had  come. 
Nerve  was  needed  to  move  almost  in  a  line  towards  the 
dogs  and  their  masters ;  but  the  nerve  was  forthcoming, 
and  the  two  advanced  like  veterans  expecting  the  fire  of 
some  concealed  but  well-armed  battery.  Presently,  le 
Bourdon  stopped,  and  examined  the  ground  on  which  he 
stood. 

"Here  we  must  turn,  Chippewa,"  he  said,  in  a  guarded 
voice.  "  This  is  the  spot  where  I  must  have  missed  my 
way." 

"  Good  place  to  turn  'bout,33  answered  the  Indian — "  dog 
too  near.53 

"  We  must  shoot  the  dogs  if  they  press  us  too  hard,3' 
returned  the  bee-hunter,  leading  off  rapidly,  now  secure  in 
the  right  direction.  "  They  seem  to  be  in  trouble,  just  at 
this  time ;  but  animals  like  them  will  soon  find  their  way 
across  this  marsh.'3 

"  Bess  shoot  Pottawattamie,3'  coolly  returned  Pigeons- 
wing.  "  Pottawattamie  got  capital  scalp — 'dog's  ears  no 
good  for  nuttin3,  any  more.3' 

"  Yonder,  I  believe,  is  the  tree  I  am  in  search  of!'3  ex 
claimed  le  Bourdon.  "  If  we  can  reach  that  tree,  I  think 
all  will  go  well  with  us." 

The  tree  was  reached,  and  the  bee-hunter  proceeded  to 
make  sure  of  his  course  from  that  point.  Removing  from 
his  pouch  a  small  piece  of  moistened  powder  that  he  had 
prepared  ere  he  liberated  the  Chippewa,  he  stuck  it  on  a 
low  branch  of  the  tree  he  was  under,  and  on  the  side  next 
the  spot  where  he  had  stationed  Margery.  When  this  was 
done,  he  made  his  companion  stand  aside,  and  lighting 
some  spunk  with  his  flint  and  steel,  he  fired  his  powder. 
Of  course,  this  little  preparation  burned  like  the  fire-works 
of  a  boy,  making  sufficient  light,  however,  to  be  seen  in  a 
9* 


102  THE     OAK    OPENINGS. 

dark  night  for  a  mile  or  more.  No  sooner  was  the  wetted 
powder  hissing  and  throwing  off  its  sparks,  than  the  bee- 
hunter  gazed  intently  into  the  now  seemingly  tangible  ob 
scurity  of  the  marsh.  A  bright  light  appeared  and  va 
nished.  It  was  enough ;  the  bee-hunter  threw  down  his 
own  signal  and  extinguished  it  with  his  foot;  and,  as  he 
wished,  the  lantern  of  Margery  appeared  no  more.  As 
sured  now  of  the  accuracy  of  his  position,  as  well  as  of 
the  course  he  was  to  pursue,  le  Bourdon  bade  his  compa 
nion  follow,  and  pressed  anew  across  the  marsh.  A  tree 
was  soon  visible,  and  towards  that  particular  object  the 
fugitives  steadily  pressed,  until  it  was  reached.  At  the 
next  instant  Margery  was  joined ;  and  the  bee-hunter  could 
not  refrain  from  kissing  her,  in  the  excess  of  his  pleasure. 

"  There  is  a  dreadful  howling  of  dogs,"  said  Mar 
gery,  feeling  no  offence  at  the  liberty  taken,  in  a  moment 
like  that,  "  and  it  seems  to  me  that  a  whole  tribe  is  follow 
ing  at  their  heels.  For  Heaven's  sake,  Bourdon,  let  us 
hasten  to  the  canoes;  brother  and  sister  must  think  us 
lost !" 

The  circumstances  pressed,  and  the  bee-hunter  took 
Margery's  arm,  passing  it  through  one  of  his  own,  with  a 
decided  and  protecting  manner,  that  caused  the  girl's  heart 
to  beat  with  emotions  not  in  the  least  connected  with  fear, 
leaving  an  impression  of  pleasure  even  at  that  perilous  mo 
ment.  As  the  distance  was  not  great,  the  three  were  soon 
on  the  beach  and  near  to  the  canoes.  Here  they  met  Do 
rothy,  alone,  and  pacing  to  and  fro  like  a  person  distressed. 
She  had  doubtless  heard  the  clamour,  and  was  aware  that 
the  savages  were  out  looking  for  their  party.  As  Margery 
met  her  sister,  she  saw  that  something  more  than  common 
had  gone  wrong,  and  in  the  eagerness  of  her  apprehensions 
she  did  not  scruple  about  putting  her  questions. 

"  What  has  become  of  brother? — Where  is  Gershom?" 
demanded  the  sensitive  girl,  at  once. 

The  answer  was  given  in  a  low  voice,  and  in  that  sort 
of  manner  with  which  woman  struggles  to  the  last  to  con 
ceal  the  delinquencies  of  him  she  loves. 

"Gershom  is  not  himself,  just  now,"  half  whispered  the 
Wife—"  he  has  fallen  into  one  of  his  old  ways,  ag'in." 

"Old  ways'*   slowly  repeated  the  sister,  dropping  her 


THE     OAK    OPENINGS.  103 

own  voice  to  tones  .similar  to  those  in  vvhicli  the  unpleasant 
news  had  just  been  communicated.  "  How  is  that  possible, 
now  that  all  the  whiskey  is  emptied  T} 

"  It  se«ms  that  Bourdon  had  a  jug  of  brandy  among  his 
stores,  and  Gershom  found  it  out.  I  blame  no  one ;  for 
Bourdon,  who  never  abuses  the  gifts  of  Providence,  had  a 
right  to  his  comforts  at  least ;  but  it  is  a  pity  that  there  was 
anything  of  the  sort  in  the  canoes !" 

The  bee-hunter  was  greatly  concerned  at  this  unwelcome 
intelligence,  feeling  all  its  importance  far  more  vividly  than 
either  of  his  companions.  They  regretted  as  women  ;  but 
he  foresaw  the  danger,  as  a  man  accustomed  to  exertion  in 
trying  scenes.  If  Whiskey  Centre  had  really  fallen  into 
his  old  ways,  so  as  to  render  himself  an  incumbrance,  in 
stead  of  being  an  assistant  at  such  a  moment,  the  fact  was 
to  be  deplored,  but  it  could  only  be  remedied  by  time. 
Luckily  they  had  the  Indian  with  them,  and  he  could  ma 
nage  one  of  the  canoes,  while  he  himself  took  charge  of 
the  other.  As  no  time  was  to  be  lost,  the  barking  of  the 
dogs  and  the  cries  of  the  savages  too  plainly  letting  it  be 
known  that  the  enemy  was  getting  through  the  marsh  by 
Gome  means  or  other,  he  hurried  the  party  down  to  the  ca 
noes,  entering  that  of  Whiskey  Centre  at  once. 

Le  Bourdon  found  Gershom  asleep,  but  with  the  heavy 
slumbers  of  the  drunkard.  Dolly  had  removed  the  jug 
and  concealed  it,  as  soon  as  the  state  of  her  husband  ena 
bled  her  to  do  so,  without  incurring  his  violence.  Else 
might  the  unfortunate  man  have  destroyed  himself,  by  in 
dulging  in  a  liquor  so  much  more  palatable  than  that  he 
was  accustomed  to  use,  after  so  long  and  compelled  an  ab 
stinence.  The  jug  was  now  produced,  however,  and  le 
Bourdon  emptied  it  in  the  river,  to  the  great  joy  of  the  two 
females,  though  not  without  a  sharp  remonstrance  from  the 
Chippewa.  The  bee-hunter  was  steady,  and  the  last  drop 
of  the  liquor  of  Gascony  was  soon  mingling  with  the  waters 
of  the  Kalamazoo.  This  done,  the  bee-hunter  desired  the 
women  to  embark,  and  called  to  the  Chippewa  to  do  the 
same.  By  quitting  the  spot  in  the  canoes,  it  was  evident 
their  pursuers  would  be  balked,  temporarily  at  least,  since 
they  must  recross  the  marsh  in  order  to  get  into  their  own 
boats,  without  which  further  pursuit  would  be  fruitless. 


104  THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

It  might  have  been  by  means  of  a  secret  sympathy,  or  if 
was  possibly  the  result  of  accident,  but,  certain  it  is,  th^i 
the  Chippewa  was  placed  in  the  stern  of  Gershom's  canoe, 
while  Margery  found  a  place  in  that  of  le  Bourdon.  As 
for  Whiskey  Centre,  he  lay  like  a  log  in  the  bottom  of  his 
own  light  bark,  cared  for  only  by  his  affectionate  wife,  who 
had  made  a  pillow  for  his  head ;  but,  fortunately,  if  no  as 
Distance  just  then,  not  any  material  hindrance  to  the  move 
ments  of  his  friends.  By  the  time  le  Bourdon  and  the 
Chippewa  had  got  their  stations,  and  the  canoes  were  free 
of  the  bottom,  it  was  evident  by  the  sounds,  that  not  only 
the  dogs,  but  divers  of  their  masters,  had  floundered 
through  the  swamp,  and  were  already  on  the  firm  ground 
east  of  it.  As  the  dogs  ran  by  scent,  little  doubt  remained 
of  their  soon  leading  the  savages  down  to  the  place  of  em 
barkation.  Aware  of  this,  the  bee-hunter  directed  the 
Chippewa  to  follow,  and  urged  his  own  canoe  away  from 
the  shore,  following  one  of  three  of  the  natural  channels 
that  united  just  at  that  point. 

The  clamour  now  sensibly  increased,  and  the  approach 
of  the  pursuers  was  much  faster  than  it  had  previously 
been,  in  consequence  of  there  no  longer  being  wet  land 
beneath  their  feet.  At  the  distance  of  fifty  yards  from  the 
shore,  however,  the  channel,  or  open  avenue  among  the 
rice  plants,  that  the  canoes  had  taken,  made  a  short  turn 
to  the  northward ;  for  all  the  events  we  have  just  been  re 
cording  occurred  on  the  northern,  or  leeward  side  of  the 
river.  Once  around  this  bend  in  the  channel,  the  canoes 
would  have  been  effectually  concealed  from  those  on  the 
beach,  had  it  even  been  broad  daylight,  and,  of  course, 
were  so  much  more  hidden  from  view  under  the  obscurity 
of  a  very  dark  night.  Perceiving  this,  and  fearful  that  the 
dip  of  the  paddles  might  be  heard,  le  Bourdon  ceased  to 
urge  his  canoe  through  the  water,  telling  the  Chippewa  to 
imitate  his  example,  and  let  the  boats  drift.  In  consequence 
of  this  precaution  the  fugitives  were  still  quite  near  the 
shore  when,  first,  the  dogs,  and  then  a  party  of  their  masters, 
came  rushing  down  to  the  very  spot  whence  the  canoes 
had  departed,  scarcely  two  minutes  before.  As  no  precau 
tions  were  taken  to  conceal  the  advance  of  the  pursuers, 
the  pursued,  or  the  individuals  among  them  who  alone  un- 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  105 

derstood  the  common  language  of  the  Great  Ojebway  Na 
tion  well,  had  an  opportunity  of  hearing  and  understanding 
all  that  was  said.  Le  Bourdon  had  brought  the  two  canoes 
together  ;  and  the  Chippewa,  at  his  request,  now  translated 
such  parts  of  the  discourse  of  their  enemies  as  he  deemed 
worthy  of  communicating  to  the  females. 

"  Say,  now,  nobody  dere !"  commenced  the  Indian, 
coolly  —  "T'ink  he  no  great  way  off — mean  to  look  for 
him — t'ink  dog  uneasy — won'er  why  dog  so  uneasy." 

"  Them  dogs  are  very  likely  to  scent  us  here  in  the  ca 
noes,  we  are  so  near  them,"  whispered  le  Bourdon. 

"  S'pose  he  do,  can't  catch  us,"  coolly  answered  the 
Chippewa — "  beside,  shoot  him,  don't  take  care — bad  for 
dog  to  chase  warrior  too  much." 

"  There  is  one  speaking  now,  who  seems  to  have  au 
thority." 

"  Yes — he  chief — know  he  voice — hear  him  too  often — 
he  mean  to  put  Pigeonswing  to  torture.  Well,  let  him 
catch  Pigeonswing  fust — swift  bird  do  dat,  eh?" 

"  But  what  says  he?  —  it  may  be  of  importance  to  learn 
what  the  chief  says,  just  now." 

"  Who  care  what  he  say — can't  do  nuttin' — if  get  good 
chance,  take  his  scalp,  too." 

"  Ay,  that  I  dare  say — but  he  is  speaking  earnestly,  and 
in  a  low  voice ;  listen,  and  let  us  know  what  he  says.  I  do 
not  well  understand  at  this  distance. 

The  Chippewa  complied,  and  maintained  an  attentive 
silence  until  the  chief  ceased  to  speak.  Then  he  rendered 
what  had  been  said  into  such  English  as  he  could  com 
mand,  accompanying  the  translation  by  the  .explanations 
that  naturally  suggested  themselves  to  one  like  himself. 

"  Chief  talk  to  young  men,"  said  the  Chippewa — "  all 
chief  talk  to  young  men — tell  him  dat  Pigeonswing  muss 
get  off  in  canoe — don't  see  canoe,  nudder — but,  muss  be 
canoe,  else  he  swim.  T'ink  more  dan  one  Injin  here — 
don't  know,  dough — maybe,  maybe  not — can't  tell,  till  see 
trail,  morrow  mornin' — " 

"  Well,  well ;  but  what  does  he  tell  his  young  men  to 
do  ?"  demanded  the  bee-hunter,  impatiently. 

"  Don't  be  squaw,  Bourdon — tell  all  by'em  bye.  Tell 
young  men  s'pose  he  get  canoe,  den  he  may  get  our  canoe, 


106  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

and  carry  'em  off — s'pose  he  swim;  dat  Chippewa  devil 
swim  down  stream  and  get  our  canoe  dat  fashion — bess  go 
back,  some  of  you,  and  see  arter  our  canoe — dat  what  he 
tell  young  men  most." 

"That  is  a  lucky  thought !"  exclaimed  le  Bourdon — 
"  let  us  paddle  down,  at  once,  and  seize  all  their  canoes 
before  they  can  get  there.  The  distance  by  water,  owing 
to  this  bend  in  the  river,  is  not  half  as  great  as  that  by 
land,  and  the  marsh  will  double  the  distance  to  them." 

"Dat  good  council!"  said  Pigeonswing — "you  go — I 
follow." 

This  was  no  sooner  said,  than  the  canoes  were  again 
got  in  motion.  The  darkness  might  now  have  been  a  suffi 
cient  protection  had  there  been  no  rice,  but  the  plant 
would  have  concealed  the  movement,  even  at  noon-day. 
The  fire  in  the  hut  served  as  a  beacon,  and  enabled  le 
Bourdon  to  find  the  canoes.  When  he  reached  the  landing, 
he  could  still  hear  the  dogs  barking  on  the  marsh,  and  the 
voices  of  those  with  them,  calling  in  loud  tones  to  two  of 
the  savages  who  had  remained  at  the  cliientc,  as  a  sort  of 
camp-guard. 

"What  do  them  chaps  say?"  asked  le  Bourdon  of  the 
Chippewa.  "  They  yell  as  if  striving  to  make  the  two  men 
at  the  door  of  the  hut  hear  them.  Can  you  make  out  what 
they  are  bawling  so  loud  ?" 

"  Tell  two  warrior  to  come  down  and  take  care  of  canoe 

dat  all — let  'em  come — find  two  here  take  care  of  clem — 

got  good  scalp,  dem  two  rascal  Pottawattamie !" 

«  jNfo no — Pigeonswing — we  must  have  no  more  of  that 

work  to-nignt,  but  must  set  about  towing  these  four  canoes 
off  the  shore  as  fast  as  we  can.  Have  you  got  hitches  on 
your  two?" 

"  Fast  'nough — so  fast,  he  follow,"  answered  the  Indian, 
who,  notwithstanding  his  preparations  to  help  to  remove  the 
canoes,  was  manifestly  reluctant  to  depart  without  striking 
another  blow  at  his  enemies.  "  Now  good  time  for  dem 
rascal  to  lose  scalp  !" 

"  Them  rascals,  as  you  call  them,  begin  to  understand 
their  friends  in  the  marsh,  and  are  looking  to  the  priming 
of  their  rifles.  We  must  be  moving,  or  they  may  see  us, 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  107 

and  give  us  a  shot.  Shove  off,  Chippewa,  and  paddle  at 
once  for  the  middle  of  the  bay." 

As  le  Bourdon  was  much  in  earnest,  Pigeonswing  was 
fain  to  comply.  Had  the  last  possessed  a  rifle  of  his  own, 
or  even  a  knife,  it  is  highly  probable  he  would  have  leaped 
ashore,  and  found  the  means  of  stealing  on  some  one  of 
his  enemies  unawares,  and  thus  secured  another  trophy. 
But  the  bee-hunter  was  determined,  and  the  Chippewa, 
however  reluctant,  was  compelled  to  obey ;  for  not  only 
had  le  Bourdon  kept  his  rifle  at  his  side,  but  he  had  used 
the  precaution  of  securing  his  knife  and  tomahawk,  both 
of  which  he  carried  habitually,  the  same  as  a  red  man. 

The  canoes  had  now  a  somewhat  difficult  task.  The 
wind  still  blew  fresh,  and  it  was  necessary  for  one  of  these 
light  craft,  pretty  well  loaded  with  its  proper  freight,  and 
paddled  by  only  a  single  person,  to  tow  two  other  craft  of 
equal  size  dead  to  windward.  The  weight  in  the  towing 
craft,  and  the  lightness  of  those  that  were  towed,  rendered 
this  task,  however,  easier  than  it  might  otherwise  have 
proved.  In  the  course  of  a  couple  of  minutes  all  the  ca 
noes  were  far  enough  from  the  shore  to  be  out  of  sight  of 
the  two  Indians,  who,  by  that  time,  had  got  down  to  the 
beach  to  look  after  their  own  craft.  The  yell  these  savages 
raised  on  finding  themselves  too  late,  not  only  announced 
their  disappointment,  but  communicated  the  extent  of  the 
disaster  to  their  friends,  who  were  still  floundering  through 
the  marsh. 

The  great  advantage  that  the  party  of  the  bee-hunter 
had  now  obtained  must  be  very  apparent  to  all.  In  posses 
sion  of  all  the  canoes,  their  enemies  were,  or  would  be 
for  some  time  at  least,  confined  to  the  northern  side  of  the 
river,  which  was  so  wide  near  its  mouth  as  to  present  an 
effectual  barrier  between  them  and  those  who  occupied  the 
opposite  bank.  The  canoes,  also,  enabled  the  weaker 
party  to  change  their  position  at  will,  carrying  with  them 
as  many  of  their  effects  as  were  on  board,  and  which  in 
cluded  the  whole  of  the  property  of  le  Bourdon ;  while 
their  loss  deprived  their  enemies  of  all  extra  means  of  mo 
tion,  and  would  be  very  likely  to  induce  them  to  proceed 
on  their  expedition  by  land.  The  objects  of  that  expedi 
tion  could  only  be  conjectured  by  the  bee-hunter,  until  he 


108  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

had  questioned  the  Chippewa ;  a  thing  he  did  not  fail  to 
do,  as  soon  as  he  believed  the  party  quite  safe,  under  the 
south  shore.  Here  the  fugitives  landed,  proceeding  up  a 
natural  channel  in  the  wild  rice  in  order  to  do  so,  and  se 
lecting  a  bit  of  dry  beach  for  their  purpose.  Margery  set 
about  lighting  a  fire,  in  order  to  keep  the  musquitoes  at  a 
distance,  selecting  a  spot  to  kindle  it,  behind  a  swell  of  the 
land,  that  concealed  the  light  from  all  on  the  other  shore. 
In  the  morning,  it  would  be  necessary  to  extinguish  that 
fire,  lest  its  smoke  should  betray  their  position.  It  was 
while  these  things  were  in  progress,  and  after  le  Bourdon 
had  himself  procured  the  fuel  necessary  to  feed  pretty 
Margery's  fire,  that  he  questioned  the  Chippewa  touching 
his  captivity. 

"  Yes,  tell  all  'bout  him,"  answered  the  Indian,  as  soon 
as  interrogated  — "  no  good  to  hide  trail  from  friend. 
'Member  when  say  good  bye  up  in  openin'  to  Bourdon  ?" 

"  Certainly — I  remember  the  very  instant  when  you  left 
me.  The  Pottawattamie  went  on  one  path,  and  you  went 
on  another.  I  was  glad  of  that,  as  you  seemed  to  think 
he  was  not  your  friend." 

"  Yes ;  good  not  to  travel  on  same  path  as  inimy,  'cause 
he  quarrel  sometime,"  coolly  returned  the  Indian.  "  Dis 
time,  path  come  togedder,  somehow ;  and  Pottawattamie 
lose  he  scalp." 

"  I  am  aware  of  all  that,  Pigeonswing,  and  wish  it  had 
not  been  so.  I  found  the  body  of  Elksfoot  sitting  up 
against  a  tree  soon  after  you  left  me,  and  knew  by  whose 
hands  he  had  fallen." 

"  Didn't  find  scalp,  eh?" 

"  No,  the  scalp  had  been  taken ;  though  I  accounted 
that  but  for  little,  since  the  man's  life  was  gone.  There 
is  little  gained  by  carrying  on  war  in  this  manner,  making 
the  woods,  and  the  openings,  and  the  prairies,  alike  unsafe. 
You  see,  now,  to  what  distress  this  family  is  reduced  by 
your  Injin  manner  of  making  war." 

"  How  you  make  him,  den — want  to  hear.  Go  kiss,  and 
give  venison  to  inimy,  or  go  get  his  scalp,  eh?  Which 
bess  fashion  to  make  him  afeard,  and  own  you  master  ?" 

"All  that  may  be  done  without  killing  single  travellers, 
or  murdering  women  and  children*.  The  peace  will  be 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  109 

made  none  the  sooner  between  England  and  America,  be 
cause  you  have  got  the  scalp  of  Elksfoot." 

"  No  haben't  got  him  any  longer;  wish  had — Pottawat- 
tamie  take  him  away,  and  say  he  bury  him.  Well,  let  him 
hide  him  in  a  hole  deep  as  white  man's  well,  can't  hide 
Pigeonwing  honour  dere,  too.  Dat  is  safe  as  notch  cut 
on  stick  can  make  him !" 

This  notch  on  a  stick  was  the  Indian  mode  of  gazetting 
a  warrior;  and  a  certain  number  of  these  notches  was 
pretty  certain  to  procure  for  him  a  sort  of  savage  brevet, 
which  answered  his  purpose  quite  as  well  as  the  modern 
mode  of  brevetting  at  Washington  answers  our  purpose. 
Neither  brings  any  pay,  we  believe,  nor  any  command, 
except  in  such  cases  as  rarely  occur,  and  then  only  to  the 
advantage  of  government.  There  are  varieties  in  honour, 
as  in  any  other  human  interest :  so  are  there  many  moral 
degrees  in  warfare.  Thus,  the  very  individual  who  ad 
mires  the  occupation  of  Algiers,  or  that  of  Tahiti,  or  the 
attack  on  Canton,  together  with  the  long  train  of  Indian 
events  which  have  dyed  the  peninsulas  of  the  East  in 
the  blood  of  their  people,  sees  an  alarming  enormity  in  the 
knocking  down  of  the  walls  of  Vera  Cruz,  though  the 
breach  opened  a  direct  road  into  San  Juan  de  Ulloa.  In 
the  eyes  of  the  same  profound  moralists,  the  garitas  of 
Mexico  ought  to  have  been  respected,  as  so  many  doors 
opening  into  the  boudoirs  of  the  beautiful  dames  of  that 
fine  capital ;  it  being  a  monstrous  thing  to  fire  a  shot  into 
the  streets  of  a  town,  no  matter  how  many  came  out  of 
them.  We  are  happy,  therefore,  to  have  it  in  our  power 
to  add  these  touches  of  philosophy  that  came  from  Pigeons- 
wing  to  those  of  the  sages  of  the  old  world,  by  way  of 
completing  a  code  of  international  morals  on  this  interest 
ing  subject,  in  which  the  student  shall  be  at  a  loss  to  say 
which  he  most  admires — that  which  comes  from  the  schools, 
or  that  which  comes  direct  from  the  wilderness. 

"  So  best,"  answered  the  bee-hunter.  "  I  wish  I  could 
persuade  you  to  throw  away  that  disgusting  thing  at  your 
belt.  Remember,  Chippewa,  you  are  now  among  Christians, 
and  ought  to  do  as  Christians  wish." 

"What  Christians  do,  eh?"returned  the  Indian,  with  a 
sneer.  "  Get  drunk  like  Whiskey  Centre,  dere?  Cheat 
10 


110  THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

poor  red  man ;  den  get  down  on  knee  and  look  up  at  Ma- 
nitou?  Dat  what  Christian  do,  eh?" 

"  They  who  do  such  things  are  Christians  but  in  name 
— you  must  think  better  of  such  as  are  Christians  in  fact." 

"  Ebbery  body  call  himself  Christian,  tell  you — all  pale 
face  Christian,  dey  say.  Now,  listen  to  Chippewa.  Once 
talk  long  talk  wit'  missionary — tell  all  about  Christian — 
what  Christian  do— what  Christian  say — how  he  eat,  how 
he  sleep,  how  he  drink  !  —  all  good  —  wish  Pigeonwing 
Christian  —  den 'member  so' ger  at  garrison  —  no  eat,  no 
sleep,  no  drink  Christian  fashion — do  ebbery  t'ing  so' ger 
fashion — swear,  fight,  cheat,  get  drunk — wuss  dan  Injin — 
dat  Christian,  eh  1" 

"  No,  that  is  not  acting  like  a  Christian ;  and  I  fear  very 
few  of  us  who  call  ourselves  by  that  name,  act  as  if  we 
were  Christians,  in  truth,"  said  le  Bourdon,  conscious  of 
the  justice  of  the  Chippewa's  accusation. 

"Just  dat  —  now,  1  get  him  —  ask  missionary,  one  day, 
where  all  Christian  go  to,  so  dat  Injin  can't  find  him  — 
none  in  woods — none  on  prairie — none  in  garrison — none 
at  Mack'naw  —  none  at  Detroit  —  where  all  go  to,  den,  so 
Injin  can't  find  him,  on'y  in  missionary  talk  ?" 

"  I  am  curious  to  know  what  answer  your  missionary 
made  to  that  question." 

"Well,  tell  you  —  say,  on'y  one  in  ten  t'ousant  raal 
Christian  'mong  pale-face,  dough  all  call  himself  Christian  ! 
Dat  what  Injin  t'ink  queer,  eh?" 

"  It  is  not  easy  to  make  a  red  man  understand  all  the 
ways  of  the  pale-faces,  Pigeonswing ;  but  we  will  talk  of 
these  things  another  time,  when  we  are  more  at  our  ease. 
Just  now,  I  wish  to  learn  all  I  can  of  the  manner  in  which 
you  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Pottawattamies." 

"  Dat  plain  'nough — wish  Christian  talk  half  as  plain. 
You  see,  Bourdon,  dat  Elkfoot  on  scout,  when  we  meet  in 
openin',  up  river.  I  know'd  his  ar'nd,  and  so  took  scalp. 
Dem  Pottawattamie  his  friend — when  dey  come  to  meet 
ole  chief,  no  find  him ;  but  find  Pigeonwing ;  got  me  when 
tired  and  'sleep;  got  Elkfoot  scalp  wid  me  —  sorry  for  dat 
— know  scalp  by  scalp-lock,  which  had  grey  hair,  and  some 
mark.  So  put  me  in  canoe,  and  meant  to  take  Chippewa 
to  Chicago  to  torture  him — but  too  much  wind.  So,  wheo 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  Ill 

meet  friend  in  t' odder  canoe,  come  back  here  to  wait  little 
while." 

This  was  the  simple  explanation  of  the  manner  m  which 
Pigeonswing  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  his  enemies.  It 
would  seem  that  Elksfoot  had  come  in  a  canoe  from  the 
mouth  of  the  St.  Joseph's  to  a  point  about  half-way  between 
that  river  and  the  mouth  of  the  Kalamazoo,  and  there 
landed.  What  the  object  of  the  party  was,  does  not  ex 
actly  appear,  though  it  is  far  from  being  certain  that  it  was 
not  to  seize  the  bee-hunter,  and  confiscate  his  effects. 
Although  le  Bourdon  was  personally  a  stranger  to  Elksfoot, 
news  flies  through  the  wilderness  in  an  extraordinary 
manner ;  and  it  was  not  at  all  unlikely  that  the  fact  of  a 
white  American's  being  in  the  openings  should  soon  spread, 
along  with  the  tidings  that  the  hatchet  was  dug  up,  and 
that  a  party  should  go  out  in  quest  of  his  scalp  and  the 
plunder.  It  would  seem  that  the  savage  tact  of  the  Chip- 
pewa  detected  that  in  the  manner  of  the  Pottawattamie 
chief,  which  assured  him  the  intentions  of  the  old  warrior 
were  not  amicable;  and  that  he  took  the  very  summary 
process  which  has  been  related,  not  only  to  secure  his 
scalp,  but  effectually  to  put  it  out  of  his  power  to  do  any 
mischief  to  one  who  was  an  ally,  and,  by  means  of  recent 
confidence,  now  a  friend.  All  this  the  Indian  explained 
to  his  companion,  in  his  usual  clipped  English,  but  with  a 
clearness  sufficient  to  make  it  perfectly  intelligible  to  his 
listener.  The  bee-hunter  listened  with  the  most  profound 
attention,  for  he  was  fully  aware  of  the  importance  of  com 
prehending  all  the  hazards  of  his  own  situation. 

While  this  dialogue  was  going  on,  Margery  had  succeeded 
in  lighting  her  fire,  and  was  busy  in  preparing  some  warm 
compound,  which  she  knew  would  be  required  by  her  un 
happy  brother  after  his  debauch.  Dorothy  passed  often 
between  the  fire  and  the  canoe,  feeling  a  wife's  anxiety  in 
the  fate  of  her  husband.  As  for  the  Chippewa,  intoxica 
tion  was  a  very  venial  offence  in  his  eyes;  though  he  had 
a  contempt  for  a  man  who  would  thus  indulge  while 
on  a  war-path.  The  American  Indian  does  possess  this 
merit  of  adapting  his  deportment  to  his  circumstances. 
When  engaged  in  war,  he  usually  prepares  himself  in  the 
coolest  and  wisest  manner  to  meet  its  struggles,  indulging 


112  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

only  in  moments  of  leisure,  and  of  comparative  security 
It  is  true  that  the  march  of  what  is  called  civilization  ia 
fast  changing  the  red  man's  character,  and  he  is  very  apt 
now  to  do  that  which  he  sees  done  by  the  "  Christians" 
around  him. 

Le  Bourdon,  when  his  dialogue  with  the  Chippewa  was 
over,  and  after  a  few  words  of  explanation  with  Margery, 
took  his  own  canoe,  and  paddled  through  the  rice  plants 
into  the  open  water  of  the  river,  to  reconnoitre.  The 
breadth  of  the  stream  induced  him  to  float  down  before  the 
wind,  until  he  reached  a  point  where  he  could  again  com 
mand  a  view  of  the  hut.  What  he  there  saw,  and  what  he 
next  did,  must  be  reserved  for  a  succeeding  chapter. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  elfin  cast  a  glance  around, 

As  he  lighted  down  from  his  courser  toad, 
Then  round  his  breast  his  wings  he  wound, 

And  close  to  the  river's  brink  he  strode ; 
He  sprang  on  a  rock,  he  breathed  a  prayer, 

Above  his  head  his  arm  he  threw, 
Then  tossed  a  tiny  curve  in  air, 

And  headlong  plunged  in  the  water  blue. 

DRAKE. 

AN  hour  had  intervened  between  the  time  when  le  Bour 
don  had  removed  the  canoes  of  the  Pottawattamies,  and 
the  time  when  he  returned  alone  to  the  northern  side  of  the 
river.  In  the  course  of  that  hour,  the  chief  of  the  savages 
had  time  to  ascertain  all  the  leading  circumstances  that 
have  just  been  related,  and  to  collect  his  people  in  and 
around  the  hut,  for  a  passing  council.  The  moment  was 
one  of  action,  and  not  of  ceremonies.  No  pipe  was 
smoked,  nor  any  of  the  observances  of  the  great  councils 
of  the  tribe  attended  to ;  the  object  was  merely  to  glean 
facts  and  to  collect  opinions.  In  all  the  tribes  of  this 
part  of  North  America,  something  very  like  a  principle  of 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  113 

democracy  is  the  predominant  feature  of  their  politics.  It 
is  not,  however,  that  bastard  democracy  which  is  coming 
so  much  in  fashion  among  ourselves,  and  which  looks  into 
the  gutters  solely  for  the  "  people,"  forgetting  that  the 
landlord  has  just  as  much  right  to  protection  as  the  tenant, 
the  master  as  the  servant,  the  rich  as  the  poor,  the  gentle 
man  as  the  blackguard.  The  Indians  know  better  than 
all  this.  They  understand,  fully,  that  the  chiefs  are  en 
titled  to  more  respect  than  the  loafers  in  their  villages,  and 
listen  to  the  former,  while  their  ears  are  shut  to  the  latter. 
They  appear  to  have  a  common  sense,  which  teaches  them 
to  avoid  equally  the  exaggerations  of  those  who  believe  in 
blood,  and  of  those  who  believe  in  blackguardism.  With 
them  the  doctrines  of  "  new  men"  would  sound  as  an  ab 
surdity,  for  they  never  submit  to  change  for  change's  sake 
On  the  contrary,  while  there  is  no  positive  hereditary  rank, 
there  is  much  hereditary  consideration ;  and  we  doubt  if  a 
red  man  could  be  found  in  all  America,  who  is  so  much  of 
a  simpleton  as  to  cite  among  the  qualifications  of  any  man 
for  a  situation  of  trust  and  responsibility,  that  he  had  never 
been  taught  how  to  perform  its  duties.  They  are  not 
guilty  of  the  contradiction  of  elevating  men  because  they 
are  self-taught,  while  they  expend  millions  on  schools. 
Doubtless  they  have,  after  a  fashion  of  their  own,  dema 
gogues  and  Caesars,  but  they  are  usually  kept  within  mode 
rate  limits ;  and  in  rare  instances,  indeed,  do  either  ever 
seriously  trespass  on  the  rights  of  the  tribe.  As  human 
nature  is  everywhere  the  same,  it  is  not  to  be  supposed 
that  pure  justice  prevails  even  among  savages ;  but  one 
thing  would  seem  to  be  certain,  that,  all  over  the  world, 
man  in  his  simplest  and  wildest  state  is  more  apt  to  respect 
his  own  ordinances,  than  when  living  in  what  is  deemed  a 
condition  of  high  civilization. 

When  le  Bourdon  reached  the  point  whence  he  could 
get  a  good  view  of  the  door  of  the  hut,  which  was  still 
illuminated  by  the  fire  within,  he  ceased  using  the  paddle 
beyond  the  slight  effort  necessary  to  keep  the  canoe  nearly 
stationary.  He  was  quite  within  the  range  of  a  rifle,  but 
trusted  to  the  darkness  of  the  night  for  his  protection. 
That  scouts  were  out,  watching  the  approaches  to  the  hut. 
he  felt  satisfied;  and  he  did  not  doubt  that  some  wero 
10* 


114  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

prowling  along  the  margin  of  the  Kalaraazoo,  either  look 
ing  for  the  lost  boats,  or  for  those  who  had  taken  them 
away.     This  made  him  cautious,  and  he  took  good  care 
not  to  place  his  canoe  in  a  position  of  danger. 

It  was  very  apparent  that  the  savages  were  in  great  un 
certainty  as  to  the  number  of  their  enemies.  Had  not  the 
rifle  been  fired,  and  their  warrior  killed  and  scalped,  they 
might  have  supposed  that  their  prisoner  had  found  the 
means  of  releasing  his  limbs  himself,  and  thus  effected  his 
escape ;  but  they  knew  that  the  Chippewa  had  neither  gun 
nor  knife,  and  as  all  their  own  arms,  even  to  those  of  the 
dead  man,  were  still  in  their  own  possession,  it  was  clear 
that  he  had  been  succoured  from  without.  Now,  the  Pot- 
tawattamies  had  heard  of  both  the  bee-hunter  and  Whiskey 
Centre,  and  it  was  natural  enough  for  them  to  ascribe  some 
of  these  unlooked-for  feats  to  one  or  the  other  of  these 
agents.  It  is  true,  the  hut  was  known  to  have  been  built 
three  or  four  years  earlier,  by  an  Indian  trader,  and  no  one 
of  the  party  had  ever  actually  seen  Gershom  and  his  family 
in  possession ;  but  the  conjectures  on  this  head  were  as 
near  the  fact,  as  if  the  savages  had  passed  and  repassed 
daily.  There  was  only  one  point  on  which  these  close  cal 
culators  of  events  were  at  fault.  So  thoroughly  had  every 
thing  been  removed  from  the  chicntg,  and  so  carefully  the 
traces  of  its  recent  occupation  concealed,  that  no  one 
among  them  suspected  that  the  family  had  left  the  place 
only  an  hour  before  their  own  arrival.  The  bee-hunter, 
moreover,  was  well  assured  that  the  savages  had  not  yet 
blundered  on  the  hiding-place  of  the  furniture.  Had  this 
been  discovered,  its  contents  would  have  been  dragged  to 
light,  and  seen  around  the  fire ;  for  there  is  usually  little 
self-restraint  among  the  red  men,  when  they  make  a  prize 
of  this  sort. 

Nevertheless,  there  was  one  point  about  which  even  those 
keen-scented  children  of  the  forest  were  much  puzzled, 
and  which  the  bee-hunter  perfectly  comprehended,  not 
withstanding  the  distance  at  which  he  was  compelled  to 
keep  himself.  The  odour  of  the  whiskey  was  so  strong,  in 
and  about  the  chientt,  that  the  Pottawattamies  did  not  know 
what  to  make  of  it.  That  there  should  be  the  remains  of 
this  peculiar  smell — one  so  fragrant  and  tempting  to  those 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  115 

who  are  accustomed  to  indulge  in  the  liquor —  in  the  hut 
itself,  was  natural  enough ;  but  the  savages  were  perplexed 
at  finding  it  so  strong  on  the  declivity,  down  which  the 
barrels  had  been  rolled.  On  this  subject  were  they  con 
versing,  when  le  Bourdon  first  got  near  enough  to  observe 
their  proceedings.  After  discussing  the  matter  for  some 
time,  torches  were  lighted,  and  most  of  the  party  followed 
a  grim  old  warrior,  who  had  an  exceedingly  true  nose  for 
the  scent  of  whiskey,  and  who  led  them  to  the  very  spot 
where  the  half-barrel  had  been  first  stove,  by  rolling  off  a 
rock,  and  where  its  contents  had  been  mainly  spilled.  Here 
the  earth  was  yet  wet,  in  places,  and  the  scent  was  so  strong, 
as  to  leave  no  doubt  of  the  recent  nature  of  the  accident 
which  had  wasted  so  much  of  a  liquor,  that  was  very  pre 
cious  in  Pottawattamie  eyes ;  for  accident  they  thought  it 
must  be,  since  no  sane  man  could  think  of  destroying  the 
liquor  intentionally. 

All  the  movements,  gestures,  and  genuflections  of  the 
savages  were  plainly  seen  by  the  bee-hunter.  We  say  the 
genuflections,  for  nearly  all  of  the  Indians  got  on  their 
knees  and  applied  their  noses  to  the  earth,  in  order  to  scent 
the  fragrance  of  the  beloved  whiskey ;  some  out  of  curi 
osity,  but  more  because  they  loved  even  this  tantalizing 
indulgence,  when  no  better  could  be  had.  But  le  Bourdon 
was  right  in  his  conjectures,  that  the  matter  was  not  to  end 
here.  Although  most  of  the  Indians  scented  the  remains 
of  the  whiskey  out  of  love  for  the  liquor,  a  few  of  their 
number  reasoned  on  the  whole  transaction,  with  quite  as 
much  acuteness  as  could  have  been  done  by  the  shrewdest 
natural  philosopher  living.  To  them  it  was  very  apparent 
that  no  great  length  of  time,  a  few  hours  at  most,  could 
have  elapsed  since  that  whiskey  was  spilled ;  and  human 
hands  must  have  brought  it  there,  in  the  first  place,  and 
poured  it  on  the  ground,  in  the  second.  There  must  have 
been  a  strong  reason  for  such  an  act,  and  that  reason  pre 
sented  itself  to  their  minds  with  unerring  accuracy.  Their 
own  approach  must  have  been  seen,  and  the  liquor  was 
destroyed  because  it  could  not  be  removed  in  time  to  pre 
vent  its  falling  into  their  hands.  Even  the  precise  manner 
in  which  the  whiskey  had  been  disposed  of,  was  pretty 
nearly  conjectured  by  a  few  of  the  chiefs,  acute  and  prao 


116  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

tised  as  they  were ;  who,  accustomed  to  this  species  of  ex 
ercise  of  their  wits,  had  some  such  dexterity  in  examining 
facts  of  this  nature,  and  in  arriving  at  just  results,  as  the 
men  of  the  schools  manifest  in  the  inquiries  that  more 
especially  belong  to  their  habits  and  training.  But  their 
conclusions  were  confined  to  themselves ;  and  they  were 
also  sufficiently  enveloped  in  doubts,  to  leave  those  who 
made  them  ready  enough  to  receive  new  impressions  on 
the  same  subject. 

All  this,  moreover,  le  Bourdon  both  saw  and  understood; 
or,  if  not  absolutely  all,  so  much  of  it  as  to  let  him  com 
prehend  the  main  conclusions  of  the  savages,  as  well  as 
the  process  by  which  they  were  reached.  To  obtain  light, 
the  Indians  made  a  fire  near  the  charmed  spot,  which 
brought  themselves  and  their  movements  into  plain  view 
from  the  canoe  of  the  bee-hunter.  Curiosity  now  became 
strongly  awakened  in  the  latter,  and  he  ventured  in  nearer 
to  the  shore,  in  order  to  get  the  best  possible  view  of  what 
was  going  on.  In  a  manner,  he  was  solving  an  enigma ; 
and  he  experienced  the  sort  of  pleasure  we  ail  feel  at  ex 
ercising  our  wits  on  difficulties  of  that  nature.  The  inte 
rest  he  felt  rendered  the  young  man  careless  as  respected 
the  position  of  his  canoe,  which  drifted  down  before  the 
strong  breeze,  until  le  Bourdon  found  himself  in  the  very 
edge  of  the  wild  rice,  which  at  this  point  formed  but  a 
very  narrow  belt  along  the  beach.  It  was  this  plant,  in 
deed,  that  contributed  to  make  the  young  man  so  regardless 
of  his  drift,  for  he  looked  upon  the  belt  of  rice  as  a  species 
of  land-mark  to  warn  him  when  to  turn.  But,  at  no  other 
spot  along  that  whole  shore,  where  the  plant  was  to  be 
found  at  all,  was  its  belt  so  narrow  as  at  this,  immediately 
opposite  to  the  new  fire  of  the  savages,  and  almost  within 
the  influence  of  its  rays.  To  le  Bourdon's  surprise,  and 
somewhat  to  his  consternation,  just  as  his  little  craft  touched 
the  rice,  the  forms  of  two  stout  warriors  passed  along  the 
beach,  between  him  and  the  light,  their  feet  almost  dipping 
in  the  water.  So  near  were  these  two  warriors  to  him, 
that,  on  listening  intently,  he  heard  not  only  their  voices, 
as  they  communicated  their  thoughts  to  each  other  in  low 
tones,  but  the  tread  of  their  moccasined  feet  on  the  ground. 
Retreat,  under  the  circumstances,  would  not  be  safe  for 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  117 

it  must  have  been  made  under  the  muzzles  of  the  rifles ; 
and  but  one  resource  presented  itself.  By  grasping  in  his 
hand  two  or  three  stalks  of  the  rice-plant,  and  holding 
them  firmly,  the  drift  of  the  canoe  was  arrested. 

After  a  moment's  reflection,  le  Bourdon  was  better  satis 
fied  with  this  new  station  than  he  had  been  on  first  gaining 
it.  To  have  ventured  on  such  a  near  approach  to  his  ene 
mies,  he  would  have  regarded  as  madness ;  but  now  he  was 
there,  well  concealed  among  the  rice,  he  enjoyed  the  ad 
vantages  of  observation  it  gave  him,  and  looked  upon  the 
chance  that  brought  him  there,  as  lucky.  He  found  a 
thong  of  buckskin,  and  fastened  his  canoe  to  the  stalks  of 
the  plant,  thus  anchoring  or  mooring  his  little  bark,  and 
leaving  himself  at  liberty  to  move  about  in  it.  The  rice 
was  high  enough  to  conceal  him,  even  when  erect,  and  he 
had  some  difficulty  in  finding  places  favourable  to  making 
his  observations  through  it.  When  the  bee-hunter  made 
his  way  into  the  bow  of  his  canoe,  however,  which  he  did 
with  a  moccasined  and  noiseless  foot,  he  was  startled  at 
perceiving  how  small  was  his  cover.  In  point  of  fact,  he 
was  now  within  three  feet  of  the  inner  edge  of  the  rice- 
plants,  which  grew  within  ten  feet  of  the  shore,  where  the 
two  warriors  already  mentioned  were  still  standing,  in  close 
communication  with  each  other.  Their  faces  were  turned 
towards  the  fire,  the  bright  light  from  which,  at  times, 
streamed  over  the  canoe  itself,  in  a  way  to  illumine  all  it 
contained.  The  first  impulse  of  le  Bourdon,  on  ascertain 
ing  how  closely  he  had  drifted  to  the  shore,  was  to  seize  a 
paddle  and  make  off,  but  a  second  thought  again  told  him 
it  would  be  far  safer  to  remain  where  he  was.  Taking  his 
seat,  therefore,  on  a  bit  of  board  laid  athwart,  from  gun 
wale  to  gunwale,  if  such  a  craft  can  be  said  to  have  gun 
wales  at  all,  he  patiently  awaited  the  course  of  events. 

By  this  time,  all  or  nearly  all  of  the  Pottawattamies  had 
collected  at  this  spot,  on  the  side  of  the  hill.  The  hut  was 
deserted,  its  fire  got  to  be  low,  and  darkness  reigned 
around  the  place.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Indians  kept 
piling  brush  on  their  new  fire,  until  the  whole  of  that  hill 
side,  the  stream  at  its  foot,  and  the  ravine  through  which 
the  latter  ran,  were  fairly  illuminated.  Of  course,  all 
within  the  influence  of  this  light  was  to  be  distinctly  seen, 


118  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

and  the  bee-hunter  was  soon  absorbed  in  gazing  at  the 
movements  of  savage  enemies,  under  circumstances  so 
peculiar. 

The  savages  seemed  to  be  entranced  by  the  singular, 
and  to  most  of  them  unaccountable  circumstance  of  the 
earth's  giving  forth  the  scent  of  fresh  whiskey,  in  a  place 
so  retired  and  unknown.  While  two  or  three  of  the  num 
bers  had  certain  inklings  of  the  truth,  as  has  been  stated, 
to  much  the  greater  portion  of  their  body  it  appeared  to 
be  a  profound  mystery ;  and  one  that,  in  some  inexplicable 
manner,  was  connected  with  the  recent  digging  up  of  the 
hatchet.  Ignorance  and  superstition  ever  go  hand  in  hand, 
and  it  was  natural  that  many,  perhaps  that  most  of  these 
uninstructed  beings  should  thus  consider  so  unusual  a 
fragrance,  on  such  a  spot.  Whiskey  has  unfortunately 
obtained  a  power  over  the  red  men  of  this  continent,  that 
it  would  require  many  Fathers  Matthew  to  suppress,  and 
which  can  only  be  likened  to  that  which  is  supposed  to 
belong  to  the  influence  of  witchcraft.  The  Indian  is  quite 
as  sensible  as  the  white  man  of  the  mischief  that  the  "  fire 
water"  produces;  but,  like  the  white  man,  he  finds  how 
hard  it  is  to  get  rid  of  a  master  passion,  when  we  have 
once  submitted  ourselves  to  its  sway.  The  portion  of  the 
band  that  could  not  account  for  the  fact  of  the  scent  of 
their  beloved  beverage's  being  found  in  such  a  place,  and 
it  was  all  but  three  of  their  whole  party,  were  quite 
animated  in  their  discussions  on  the  subject,  and  many 
and  crude  were  the  suggestions  that  fell  from  their  lips. 
The  two  warriors  on  the  beach,  were  more  deeply  im 
pressed  than  any  of  their  companions,  with  the  notion  that 
some  "  medicine  charm"  was  connected  with  this  extra- 
ordinar)  affair. 

The  reader  win  not  be  surprised  to  hear  that  le  Bourdon 
gazed  on  the  scene  before  him  with  the  most  profound 
attention.  So  near  did  he  seem  to  oe,  and  so  near  was  he, 
in  fact,  to  the  savages  who  were  grouped  around  the  fire, 
that  he  fancied  he  could  comprehend  what  they  were  say- 
mg,  by  the  expressions  of  their  grim  and  swarthy  counte 
nances.  His  conjectures  were  in  part  just,  and  occasion 
ally  the  bee-hunter  was  absolutely  accurate  in  his  notions 
of  what  was  said.  The  frequency  with  which  different 


THE    OAK     OPENINGS.  119 

individuals  knelt  on  the  ground,  to  scent  an  odour  that  is 
always  so  pleasant  to  the  red  man,  would  of  itself  have 
given  a  clue  to  the  general  character  of  the  discourse ;  but, 
the  significant  and  expressive  gestures,  the  rapid  enuncia 
tion,  and  the  manner  in  which  the  eyes  of  the  speakers 
glanced  from  the  faces  near  themselves  to  the  spot  conse 
crated  by  whiskey,  pretty  plainly  told  the  story.  It  was 
while  thus  intently  occupied  in  endeavouring  to  read  the 
singular  impression  made  on  the  minds  of  most  of  those 
wild  beings,  by  an  incident  so  much  out  of  the  usual  track 
of  their  experience,  that  le  Bourdon  suddenly  found  the 
bow  of  his  canoe  thrusting  itself  beyond  the  inner  margin 
of  the  rice,  and  issuing  into  open  water,  within  ten  feet  of 
the  very  spot  where  the  two  nearest  of  the  savages  were 
still  conferring  together,  apart.  The  buckskin  thong 
which  served  as  a  fastening  had  got  loosened,  and  the  light 
craft  was  again  drifting  down  before  the  strong  southerly 
wind,  which  still  continued  to  blow  a  little  gale. 

Had  there  been  an  opportunity  for  such  a  thing,  the 
bee-hunter  would  have  made  an  effort  to  escape.  But  so 
sudden  and  unexpected  was  this  exposure,  that  he  found 
himself  almost  within  reach  of  a  rifle,  before  he  was  aware 
of  his  approaching  the  two  warriors  on  the  shore,  at  all. 
His  paddle  was  in  the  stern  of  the  canoe,  and  had  he  used 
the  utmost  activity,  the  boat  would  have  grounded  on  the 
beach,  ere  he  could  have  obtained  it.  In  this  situation, 
therefore,  he  was  absolutely  without  any  other  means,  than 
his  hands,  of  stopping  the  canoe,  had  there  even  been  time. 

Le  Bourdon  understood  his  real  situation  without  stop 
ping  to  reflect;  and,  though  his  heart  made  one  violent 
leap  as  soon  as  he  perceived  he  was  out  of  cover,  he  im 
mediately  bethought  him  of  the  course  he  ought  to  pursue. 
It  would  have  been  fatal  to  betray  alarm,  or  to  attempt 
flight.  As  accident  had  thus  brought  him,  as  it  might  be 
on  a  visit,  to  the  spot,  he  at  once  determined  to  give  his 
arrival  the  character  of  a  friendly  call,  and  the  better  to 
support  the  pretension,  to  blend  with  it,  if  possible,  a  little 
of  the  oracular,  or  "  medicine"  manner,  in  order  to  impose 
on  the  imaginations  of  the  superstitious  beings  into  whose 
power  he  had  so  unwittingly  fallen. 

The  instant  the  canoe  touched  the  shore,  and  it  was 


120  THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

only  a  moment  tfter  it  broke  through  the  cover,  le  Bourdon 
arose,  and  extending  his  hand  to  the  nearest  Indian,  saluted 
him  with  the  mongrel  term  of"  Sago."  A  slight  exclama 
tion  from  this  warrior  communicated  to  his  companion  an 
arrival  that  was  quite  as  much  a  matter  of  surprise  to  the 
Indians  as  to  their  guest,  and  through  this  second  warrior, 
to  the  whole  party  on  the  hill-side  A  little  clamour  suc 
ceeded,  and  presently  the  bee-hunter  was  surrounded  with 
savages. 

The  meeting  was  marked  by  the  self-command  and  dig 
nified  quiet  that  are  so  apt  to  distinguish  the  deportment 
of  Indian  warriors,  when  they  are  on  the  war-path,  and 
alive  to  the  duties  of  manhood.  The  bee-hunter  shook 
hands  with  several,  who  received  his  salutations  with  per 
fect  calmness,  if  not  with  absolute  confidence  and  amity. 
This  little  ceremony  gave  our  hero  an  opportunity  to 
observe  the  swarthy  countenances  by  which  he  was  sur 
rounded,  most  of  which  were  fierce  in  their  paint,  as  well 
as  to  reflect  a  little  on  his  own  course.  By  a  fortunate 
inspiration  he  now  determined  to  assume  the  character  of 
a  "  medicine  man,"  and  to  connect  his  prophecies  and  jug 
gleries  with  this  lucky  accident  of  the  whiskey.  Accord 
ingly,  he  inquired  if  any  one  spoke  English,  not  wishing 
to  trust  his  explanations  to  his  own  imperfect  knowledge 
of  the  Ojebvvay  tongue,  which  is  spoken  by  all  the  numerous 
tribes  of  that  widely-extended  nation.  Several  could  rend  er 
themselves  intelligible  in  English,  and  one  was  so  expert 
as  to  render  communication  with  him  easy,  if  not  very 
agreeable.  As  the  savages,  however,  soon  insisted  on 
examining  the  canoe,  and  taking  a  look  at  its  contents, 
previously  to  listening  to  their  visitor's  explanations,  le 
Bourdon  was  fain  to  submit,  and  to  let  the  young  men 
satisfy  their  curiosity. 

The  bee-hunter  had  come  on  his  hazardous  expedition 
in  his  own  canoe.  Previously  to  quitting  the  south  shore, 
however,  he  had  lightened  the  little  craft,  by  landing  every 
thing  that  was  not  essential  to  his  present  purpose.  As 
nearly  half  of  his  effects  were  in  the  canoe  of  Whiskey 
Centre,  the  task  was  soon  performed,  and  lucky  it  was  for 
our  hero  that  he  had  bethought  him  of  the  prudence  of  the 
measure.  His  sole  object  had  been  to  render  the  canoe^ 


. 

THE    OAK     OPENINGS.  121 

swifter  and  lighter,  in  the  event  of  a  chase ;  but,  as  things 
turned  out,  he  saved  no  small  portion  of  his  property  by 
using  the  precaution.  The  Indians  found  nothing  in  the 
canoe,  but  one  rifle,  with  a  horn  and  pouch,  a  few  light 
articles  belonging  to  the  bee-hunter's  domestic  economy, 
and  which  he  had  not  thought  it  necessary  to  remove,  and 
the  paddles.  All  the  honey,  and  the  skins,  and  stores, 
and  spare  powder  and  lead,  and,  in  short,  every  thing  else 
that  belonged  to  le  Bourdon  was  still  safe,  on  the  other  side 
of  the  river.  The  greatest  advantage  gained  by  the  Potta- 
wattamies  was  in  the  possession  of  the  canoe,  itself,  by 
means  of  which  they  would  now  be  enabled  to  cross  the 
Kalamazoo,  or  make  any  other  similar  expedition,  by 
water. 

But,  as  yet,  not  a  sign  of  hostility  was  betrayed  by  either 
party.  The  bee-hunter  seemed  to  pay  no  attention  to  his 
rifle  and  ammunition,  or  even  to  his  canoe,  while  the  sa 
vages,  after  having  warily  examined  the  last,  together  with 
its  contents,  returned  to  their  visitor,  to  re-examine  him, 
with  a  curiosity  as  lively  as  it  was  full  of  distrust.  At  this 
stage  in  the  proceeding,  something  like  a  connected  and 
intelligible  conversation  commenced  between  the  chief  who 
spoke  English,  and  who  was  known  in  most  of  the  north 
western  garrisons  of  the  Americans,  by  the  name  of  Thun 
dercloud,  or  Cloud,  by  way  of  abbreviation,  on  account  of 
his  sinister  looks,  though  the  man  actually  sustained  a 
tolerably  fair  reputation  for  one  of  those  who,  having  been 
wronged,  was  so  certain  to  be  calumniated.  No  man  was 
ever  yet  injured,  that  he  has  not  been  slandered. 

"Who  kill  and  scalp  my  young  man?"  asked  Cloud,  a 
little  abruptly. 

"  Has  my  brother  lost  a  warrior  ?"  was  the  calm  reply 
"  Yes,  I  see  that  he  has.  A  medicine-man  can  see  that, 
though  it  is  dark." 

"  Who  kill  him,  if  can  see? — who  scalp  him,  too?" 

"An  enemy  did  both,"  answered  le  Bourdon,  oracularly. 
"Yes;  'twas  an  enemy  that  killed  him;  and  an  enemy 
that  took  his  scalp." 

"  Why  do  it,  eh?  Why  come  here  to  take  Pottawatta- 
mie  scalp,  when  no  war-path  open,  eh?" 

"  Pottawattamie,  the  truth  must  always  be  said  to  a  me- 
11 


122  THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

dicine-man.  There  is  no  use  in  trying  to  hide  truth  from 
him.  There  is  a  war-path  open ;  and  a  long  and  a  tangled 
path  it  is.  My  Great  Father  at  Washington  has  dug  up 
the  hatchet  against  my  Great  Father  at  Quebec.  Enemies 
always  take  scalps  when  they  can  get  them." 

"  Dat  true — dat  right,  too — nobody  grumble  at  dat — but 
who  enemy?  pale-face  or  red-skin?" 

"  This  time  it  was  a  red-skin — a  Chippewa — one  of  your 
own  nation,  though  not  of  your  own  tribe.  A  warrior  called 
Pigeonswing,  whom  you  had  in  thongs,  intending  to  torture 
him  in  the  morning.  He  cut  his  thongs,  and  shot  your 
young  man — after  which  he  took  his  scalp." 

"  How  know  dat?"  demanded  the  Cloud,  a  little  fiercely. 
"You  'long,  and  help  kill  Pottawattamie,  eh?" 

"  I  know  it,"  answered  le  Bourdon,  coolly,  "  because 
medicine-men  know  most  of  what  happens.  Do  not  be 
so  hasty,  chief,  for  this  is  a  medicine  spot — whiskey  grows 
here." 

A  common  exclamation  escaped  all  of  the  red  men,  who 
comprehended  the  clear,  distinct,  and  oracular-like  lan 
guage  and  manner  of  the  bee-hunter.  He  intended  to 
make  an  impression  on  his  listeners,  and  he  succeeded  ad 
mirably;  perhaps  as  much  by  means  of  manner  as  of 
matter.  As  has  been  said,  all  who  understood  his  words 
— some  four  or  five  of  the  party — grunted  forth  their  sur 
prise  at  this  evidence  of  their  guest's  acquaintance  with 
the  secrets  of  the  place,  in  which  they  were  joined  by  the 
rest  of  their  companions,  as  soon  as  the  words  of  the  pale 
face  had  been  translated.  Even  the  experienced  and  wary 
old  chiefs,  who  had  more  than  half  conjectured  the  truth, 
in  connection  with  this  mysterious  odour  of  whiskey,  were 
much  unsettled  in  their  opinions  concerning  the  wonder, 
and  got  to  be  in  that  condition  of  mind,  when  a  man  does 
not  know  what  to  think  of  any  particular  event.  The  bee- 
hunter,  quick-witted,  and  managing  for  his  life,  was  not 
slow  to  perceive  the  advantage  he  had  gained,  and  he  pro 
ceeded  at  once  to  clinch  the  nail  he  had  so  skilfully  driven. 
Turning  from  Cloud  to  the  head  chief  of  the  party,  a  war 
rior  whom  he  had  no  difficulty  in  recognising,  after  having 
so  long  watched  his  movements  in  the  earlier  part  of  the 
night,  he  pushed  the  same  subject  a  little  further. 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  123 

"Yes;  thi3  place  is  called  by  the  whites,  Whiskey 
Centre,"  he  added — "  which  means  that  it  is  the  centre  of 
all  the  whiskey  of  the  country  round  about." 

"  Dat  true,"  said  Cloud,  quickly — "  I  hear  so'ger  at  Fort 
Dearborn  call  him  Whiskey  Centre !" 

This  little  circumstance  greatly  complicated  the  mystery, 
and  le  Bourdon  perceived  that  he  had  hit  on  a  lucky  ex 
planation. 

"Soldiers  far  and  near — soldiers  drunk  or  sober — sol 
diers  with  scalps,  and  soldiers  without  scalps  —  all  know 
the  place  by  that  name.  But  you  need  not  believe  with 
your  eyes  shut,  and  noses  stopped,  chief,  since  you  have 
the  means  of  learning  for  yourselves  the  truth  of  what  I 
tell  you.  Come  with  me,  and  I  will  tell  you  where  to  dig 
in  the  morning  for  a  Whiskey  Spring." 

This  communication  excited  a  tremendous  feeling  among 
the  savages,  when  its  purport  came  to  be  explained  to  the 
whole  party.  Apatt  from  the  extraordinary,  miraculous 
nature  of  such  a  spring,  which  in  itself  was  sufficient  to 
keep  alive  expectation  and  gratify  curiosity,  it  was  so  com 
fortable  to  have  an  inexhaustible  supply  of  the  liquor  run 
ning  out  of  the  bowels  of  the  earth,  that  it  is  no  wonder 
the  news  spread  infinite  delight  among  the  listeners.  Even 
the  two  or  three  of  the  chiefs  who  had  so  shrewdly  divined 
the  manner  in  which  the  liquor  had  been  spilled,  were 
staggered  by  the  solemnity  and  steadiness  of  the  bee- 
hunter's  manner,  and  perhaps  a  little  carried  away  by 
sympathy  with  those  around  them.  This  yielding  of  the 
human  mind  to  the  influence  of  numbers,  is  so  common  an 
occurrence  as  scarcely  to  require  explanation,  and  is  the 
source  of  half  the  evils  that  popular  associations  inflict  on 
themselves.  It  is  not  that  men  capable  of  seeing  the  truth 
are  ever  wanting ;  btrt  men  capable  of  maintaining  it,  in 
the  face  of  clamour  and  collected  power. 

It  will  be  readily  conceived  that  a  medicine-man,  who  is 
supposed  to  possess  the  means  of  discovering  a  spring  that 
should  overflow  with  pure  whiskey,  would  not  be  left  with 
out  urgent  demands  for  a  speedy  exercise  of  his  art.  This 
was  now  the  case  with  le  Bourdon,  who  was  called  on  from 
all  sides,  to  point  out  the  precise  spot  where  the  young  men 
were  to  commence  digging  in  order  to  open  on  the  trea- 


124  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

sure.  Our  hero  knew  that  his  only  hope  of  escape  was 
connected  with  his  steadily  maintaining  his  assumed  cha 
racter  ;  or,  of  maintaining  this  assumed  character,  with  his 
going  on,  at  once,  to  do  something  that  might  have  the 
effect,  temporarily  at  least,  of  satisfying  the  impatience  of 
his  now  attentive  listeners.  Accordingly,  when  the  de 
mand  was  made  on  him  to  give  some  evidence  of  his  power, 
he  set  about  the  task,  not  only  with  composure,  but  with  <i 
good  deal  of  ingenuity. 

Le  Bourdon,  it  will  be  remembered,  had,  with  his  own 
hands,  rolled  the  two  barrels  of  whiskey  down  the  declivity. 
Feeling  the  great  importance  of  effectually  destroying  them, 
he  had  watched  their  descent,  from  the  top  to  the  bottom 
of  the  hill,  and  the  final  disappearance  of  the  staves,  &/c., 
in  the  torrent  which  brawled  at  its  foot.  It  had  so  hap 
pened,  that  the  half-filled  cask  broke  and  let  out  its  liquor, 
at  a  point  much  more  remote  from  the  stream,  than  the 
filled  cask.  The  latter  had  held  together  until  it  went 
over  the  low  rocky  precipice,  already  mentioned,  and  was 
stove  at  its  base,  within  two  yards  of  the  torrent,  which 
received  all  its  fragments  and  swept  them  away,  including 
most  of  the  liquor  itself;  but  not  until  the  last  had  been 
spilled.  Now,  the  odorous  spot  which  had  attracted  the 
noses  of  the  savages,  and  near  which  they  had  built  their 
fire,  was  that  where  the  smallest  quantity  of  the  whiskey 
had  fallen.  Le  Bourdon  reasoned  on  these  circumstances 
in  this  wise: — if  half  a  barrel  of  the  liquor  can  produce 
so  strong  a  scent,  a  barrel  filled  ought  to  produce  one  still 
stronger ;  and  I  will  manifest  my  medicine-character,  by 
disregarding  for  the  present  moment  the  spot  on  the  hill 
side,  and  proceed  at  once  to  that  at  the  foot  of  the  rocks. 
To  this  latter  point,  therefore,  did  he  direct  all  the  cere 
mony,  as  well  as  his  own  footsteps,  when  he  yielded  to  the 
solicitations  of  the  Pottawattamies,  and  undertook  to  point 
out  the  position  of  the  Whiskey  Spring. 

The  bee-hunter  understood  the  Indian  character  too 
well,  to  forget  to  embellish  his  work  with  a  proper  amount 
of  jugglery  and  acting.  Luckily,  he  had  left  in  the  canoe 
a  sort  of  frock  of  mottled  colours,  that  he  had  made  him 
self,  to  wear  in  the  woods  in  the  autumn  as  a  hunting  dress, 
under  the  notion  that  such  a  covering  would  conceal  his 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  125 

approach  from  his  game,  by  blending  its  hues  with  those 
of  the  autumn  leaf.  This  dress  he  now  assi  med,  extorting 
a  good  deal  of  half-suppressed  admiration  from  the  younger 
warriors,  by  the  gay  appearance  he  made.  Then  he  drew 
out  his  spy-glass  to  its  greatest  length,  making  various 
mysterious  signs  and  gestures  as  he  did  so.  This  glass 
proved  to  be  a  great  auxiliary,  and  possibly  alone  kept  the 
doubters  in  awe.  Le  Bourdon  saw  at  once  that  it  was  en 
tirely  new,  even  to  the  oldest  chief,  and  he  felt  how  much 
it  might  be  made  to  assist  him.  Beckoning  to  Cloud,  and 
adjusting  the  focus,  he  directed  the  small  end  of  his  glass  to 
the  fire,  and  placed  the  large  end  to  that  Indian's  eye.  A 
solitary  savage,  who  loved  the  scent  of  whiskey  too  much 
to  tear  himself  away  from  the  spot,  was  lingering  within 
the  influence  of  the  rays,  and  of  course  was  seen  by  the 
chief,  with  his  person  diminished  to  that  of  a  dwarf,  and 
his  form  thrown  to  a  seeming  distance. 

An  eloquent  exclamation  followed  this  exhibition  of  the 
medicine-man's  power;  and  each  of  the  chiefs,  and  most 
of  the  other  warriors,  were  gratified  with  looks  through 
the  glass! 

"  What  dat  mean?"  demanded  Cloud,  earnestly.  "  See 
Wolfeye  well  'noucrh — why  he  so  little? — why  he  so  far 
off,  eh?" 

"  That  is  to  show  you  what  a  medicine-man  of  the  pale 
faces  can  do,  when  he  is  so  minded.  That  Indian  is  named 
\Volfseye,  and  he  loves  whiskey  too  well.  That  I  know, 
as  well  as  I  know  his  name." 

Each  of  these  exhibitions  of  intelligence  extorted  excla 
mations  of  wonder.  It  is  true,  that  one  or  two  of  the 
higher  chiefs  understood  that  the  name  might  possibly  have 
been  obtained  from  Cloud;  but  how  was  the  medicine-man 
to  know  that  Wolfseye  was  a  drunkard?  This  last  had 
not  been  said  in  terms ;  but  enough  had  been  said,  to  let 
those  who  were  aware  of  the  propensity  feel  that  more  was 
meant  than  had  been  expressed.  Before  there  was  time, 
however,  to  deliberate  on,  or  to  dissect  this  specimen  of 
mysterious  knowledge,  le  Bourdon  reversed  the  glass,  and 
applied  the  small  end  to  the  eye  of  Cloud,  after  having 
given  it  its  former  direction.  The  Indian  fairly  yelled, 


126  THE     OAK    OPENINGS 

partly  with  dread,  and  partly  with  delight,  when  he  saw 
Wolfseye,  large  as  life,  brought  so  near  himself  that  he 
fancied  he  might  be  touched  with  his  own  hand. 

"  What  dat  mean?"  exclaimed  Cloud,  as  soon  as  surprise 
and  awe  enabled  him  to  find  his  voice.  "  Fuss  he  little, 
den  he  big — fuss  he  great  way,  den  he  close  by — what  dat 
mean,  eh?" 

"  It  means  that  I  am  a  medicine-man,  and  this  is  a  me 
dicine-glass,  and  that  I  can  see  with  it  into  the  earth, 
deeper  than  the  wells,  or  higher  than  the  mountains !" 

These  words  were  translated,  and  explained  to  all  there. 
They  extorted  many  ejaculations  of  wonder,  and  divers 
grunts  of  admiration  and  contentment.  Cloud  conferred 
a  moment  with  the  two  principal  chiefs ;  then  he  turned 
eagerly  to  the  bee-hunter,  saying — 

"All  good,  but  want  to  hear  more — want  to  Tarn  more 
— want  to  see  more." 

"  Name  your  wants  freely,  Pottawattamie,"  answered  le 
Bourdon,  with  dignity ;  "  they  shall  be  satisfied." 

"Want  to  see  —  want  to  taste  Whiskey  Spring  —  see 
won't  do — want  to  taste." 

11  Good — you  shall  smell  first ;  then  you  shall  see ;  after 
that  you  shall  taste.  Give  me  room,  and  be  silent ;  a  great 
medicine  is  near." 

Thus  delivering  himself,  le  Bourdon  proceeded  with  his 
necromancy. 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS  127 


CHAPTER  IX, 

He  turn'd  him  round,  and  fled  amain 
With  hurry  and  dash  to  the  beach  again; 
He  twisted  over  from  side  to  side, 
And  laid  his  cheek  to  the  cleaving  tide ; 
The  strokes  of  his  plunging  arms  are  fleet, 
And  with  all  his  might  he  flings  his  feet, 
But  the  water-sprites  are  round  him  still, 
To  cross  his  path  and  work  him  ill. 

The  Culprit  Fay. 

THE  first  step  in  the  conjuration  of  the  bee-hunter  was, 
to  produce  an  impression  on  the  minds  of  his  untutored 
observers,  by  resorting  to  a  proper  amount  of  mummery 
and  mystical  action.  This  he  was  enabled  to  do  with  some 
effect,  in  consequence  of  having  practised  as  a  lad,  in 
similar  mimicry,  by  way  of  pastime.  The  Germans,  and 
the  descendants  of  Germans  in  America,  are  not  of  a  very 
high  class,  as  respects  education,  taken  as  a  body,  and 
they  retain  many  of  the  most  inveterate  of  the  superstitions 
of  their  Teutonic  ancestors.  Although  the  bee-hunter, 
himself,  was  of  purely  English  descent,  he  came  from  a 
state  that  was  in  part  peopled  by  these  Germans  and  their 
descendants;  and,  by  intercourse  with  them,  he  had  ac 
quired  a  certain  knowledge  of  their  notions  on  the  subject 
of  necromancy,  that  he  now  found  was  of  use.  So  far  as 
gravity  of  mien,  solemn  grimaces,  and  unintelligible  mut- 
terings  were  concerned,  le  Bourdon  played  his  part  to  ad 
miration  ;  and  by  the  time  he  had  led  the  party  half  the 
distance  he  intended  to  go,  our  necromancer,  or  "  medi 
cine-man,"  had  complete  possession  of  the  imaginations 
of  all  the  savages,  the  two  or  three  chiefs  already  mentioned 
alone  excepted.  At  this  stage  of  the  proceedings  occurred 
a  little  incident,  which  goes  to  prove  the  disposition  of  the 
common  mind  to  contribute  in  deceiving  itself,  and  which 
was  of  considerable  assistance  to  le  Bourdon,  in  maintain 
ing  his  assumed  character. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  place  where  the  Indiana 


128  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

had  found  their  strongest  scent  was  on  the  hill-side,  or  at 
the  spot  where  the  half-filled  barrel  had  let  out  most  of  its 
contents.  Near  this  spot  their  new  fire  was  still  brightly 
blazing,  and  there  Wolfseye  remained,  regaling  one  of  his 
senses,  at  least,  with  an  odour  that  he  found  so  agreeable, 
But  the  bee-hunter  knew  that  he  should  greatly  increase 
the  wonder  of  the  savages  by  leading  them  to  a  new  scent- 
spot,  one  to  which  there  was  no  visible  clue,  and  where  the 
odour  was  probably  much  stronger  than  on  the  hill-side. 
Accordingly  he  did  not  approach  the  fire,  but  kept  around 
the  base  of  the  hill,  just  enough  within  the  influence  of  the 
light  to  pick  his  way  readily,  and  yet  so  distant  from  it,  as 
to  render  his  countenance  indistinct  and  mysterious.  No 
sooner,  however,  had  he  got  abreast  of  the  scent-spot  known 
to  the  savages,  than  the  crowd  endeavoured  to  lead  him 
towards  it,  by  gestures  and  hints,  and,  finally,  by  direct 
intimations  that  he  was  going  astray.  All  this  our  "  medi 
cine-man"  disregarded ;  he  held  his  way  steadily  and 
solemnly  toward  that  place  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  where  he 
knew  that  the  filled  barrel  had  let  out  its  contents,  and 
where  he,  reasonably  enough,  expected  to  find  sufficient 
traces  of  the  whiskey  to  answer  his  purposes.  At  first, 
this  pertinacity  provoked  the  crowd,  which  believed  he 
was  going  wrong ;  but  a  few  words  from  Crowsfeather,  the 
principal  chief,  caused  the  commotion  to  cease.  In  a  few 
more  minutes  le  Bourdon  stopped,  near  the  place  of  his 
destination.  As  a  fresh  scent  of  whiskey  was  very  percep 
tible  here,  a  murmur  of  admiration,  not  unmixed  with  de 
light,  passed  among  the  attendants  ! 

"  Now,  let  the  young  men  build  a  fire  for  me,"  said  the 
bee-hunter,  solemnly — "  not  such  a  fire  as  that  which  is 
burning  on  the  hill,  but  a  medicine-fire.  I  smell  the  Whis 
key  Spring,  and  want  a  medicine-light  to  see  it." 

A  dozen  young  men  began  to  collect  the  brush ;  in  a 
minute  a  pile- of  some  size  had  been  accumulated  on  a  flat 
rock,  within  twenty  feet  of  the  spot  where  le  Bourdon 
knew  that  the  cask  had  been  dashed  to  pieces.  When  he 
thought  the  pile  sufficiently  large,  he  told  Crowsfeather  that 
it  might  be  lighted  by  bringing  a  brand  from  the  other  fire. 

"  This  will  not  be  a  medicine-light,  for  that  can  come 
only  from  '  medicine-matches,'  "  he  added :  "  but  I  wan*  a  fire 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  129 

to  see  the  shape  of  the  ground.  Put  in  the  brand,  brothers; 
let  us  have  a  flame." 

The  desire  of  the  bee-hunter  was  gratified,  and  the 
whole  of  the  base  of  the  hill,  around  the  spot  where  the 
filled  cask  had  broken,  was  illuminated. 

"  Now,  let  all  the  Pottuwattamies  stand  back,"  added 
le  Bourdon,  earnestly.  "It  miijht  cost  a  warrior  his  life 
to  come  forward  too  soon — i;r,  if  not  his  life,  it  might 
give  a  rheumatism  that  can  never  be  cured,  which  is  worse. 
When  it  is  time  for  my  red  brothers  to  advance,  they  will 
be  called." 

As  the  bee-hunter  accompanied  this  announcement  by 
suitable  gestures,  he  succeeded  in  ranging  all  of  the  silent, 
but  excited  savages  on  three  sides  of  his  fire,  leaving  that 
next  his  mysterious  spring  to  himself,  alone.  When  all 
was  arranged,  le  Bourdon  moved  slowly,  but  unaccompa 
nied,  to  the  precise  spot  where  the  cask  had  broken. 
Here  he  found  the  odour  of  the  whiskey  so  strong,  as  to 
convince  him  that  some  of  the  liquor  must  yet  remain.  On 
examining  more  closely,  he  ascertained  that  several  shallow 
cavities  of  the  flat  rock,  on  which  the  cask  had  been  dashed, 
still  contained  a  good  deal  of  the  liquor;  enough  to  prove 
of  great  assistance  to  his  medicine  character. 

All  this  while  the  bee-hunter  kept  one  portion  of  his  fa 
culties  on  the  alert,  in  order  to  effect  his  escape.  That  he 
might  deceive  for  a  time,  aided  as  he  was  by  so  many 
favourable  circumstances,  he  did  not  doubt;  but  he  dread 
ed  the  morning  and  the  results  of  a  night  of  reflection  and 
rest.  Crowsfeather,  in  particular,  troubled  him ;  and  he 
foresaw  that  his  fate  would  be  terrible,  did  the  savages 
once  get  an  inkling  of  the  deception  he  was  practising. 
As  he  stood  there,  bending  over  the  little  pools  of  whiskey, 
he  glanced  his  eyes  towards  the  gloom  which  pervaded  the 
northern  side  of  the  hill,  and  calculated  the  chances  ot 
escape  by  trusting  to  his  speed.  All  of  the  Pottawattamies 
were  on  the  opposite  side,  and  there  was  a  thicket  favour 
ably  placed  for  a  cover,  so  near  that  the  rifle  would  scarce 
have  time  to  perform  its  fatal  office,  ere  he  might  hope  to 
bury  himself  within  its  leaves.  So  tempting  did  the  occa 
sion  appear  that,  for  a  single  instant,  le  Bourdon  forgot  his 
caution,  and  his  mummeries,  and  had  actually  advanced  » 


130  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

step  or  two,  in  the  direction  towards  which  he  contemplated 
flight,  when,  on  glancing  an  uneasy  look  behind  him,  he 
perceived  Crowsfeather  and  his  two  intimate  counsellors 
stealthily  preparing  their  rifles,  as  if  they  distrusted  his  in 
tentions.  This  at  once  induced  a  change  of  plan,  and 
brought  the  bee-hunter  back  to  a  sense  of  his  critical  posi 
tion,  and  of  the  indispensable  necessity  of  caution,  to  a 
man  in  his  situation. 

Le  Bourdon  now  seemingly  gave  all  his  attention  to  the 
rocks  where  he  stood,  and  out  of  which  the  much-coveted 
liquor  was  expected  to  flow ;  though  his  thoughts  were  still 
busily  employed  in  considering  the  means  of  escape,  the 
whole  time.  While  stooping  over  the  different  pools,  and 
laying  his  plans  for  continuing  his  medicine-charms,  the 
bee-hunter  saw  how  near  he  had  been  to  committing  a 
great  mistake.  It  was  almost  as  indispensable  to  carry  off 
the  canoe,  as  it  was  to  carry  off  himself;  since,  with  the 
canoe,  not  only  would  all  his  own  property,  but  pretty 
Margery,  and  Gershom  and  his  wife,  be  at  the  mercy  of  the 
Pottawattamies ;  whereas,  by  securing  the  boat,  the  wide 
Kalamazoo  would  serve  as  a  nearly  impassable  barrier, 
until  time  was  given  to  the  whites  to  escape.  His  whole 
plan  was  changed  by  this  suggestion,  and  he  no  longer 
thought  of  the  thicket  and  of  flight  inland.  At  the  same 
time  that  the  bee-hunter  was  laying  up  in  his  mind  ideas 
so  important  to  his  future  movements,  he  did  not  neglect 
the  necessary  examination  of  the  means  that  might  be 
required  to  extend  and  prolong  his  influence  over  the 
minds  of  the  superstitious  children  of  the  forest,  on  whom 
he  was  required  to  practise  his  arts.  His  thoughts  reverted 
to  the  canoe,  and  he  concocted  a  plan  by  which  he  believed 
it  possible  to  get  possession  of  his  little  craft,  again.  Once 
on  board  it,  by  one  vigorous  shove  he  fancied  he  might 
push  it  within  the  cover  of  the  rice-plant,  where  he  would 
be  in  reasonable  safety  against  the  bullets  of  the  savages. 
Could  he  only  get  the  canoe  on  the  outer  side  of  the 
narrow  belt  of  the  plant,  he  should  deem  himself  safe ! 

Having  arranged  his  course  in  his  own  mind,  le  Bourdon 
now  beckoned  to  Crowsfeather  to  draw  near,  at  the  same 
time  inviting  the  whole  party  to  approach  within  a  few  feet 
of  the  spot  where  he  himself  stooH  Ti™  v,or,_^t,r,*o^  v>0/i 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  131 

brought  with  him  from  the  boat,  a  fragment  of  the  larger 
end  of  a  cane  fishing-rod,  which  he  used  as  a  sort  of  wand. 
Its  size  was  respectable,  and  its  length  about  eight  feet. 
With  this  wand  he  pointed  out  the  different  objects  he 
named,  and  it  answered  the  very  important  purpose  of 
enabling  him  to  make  certain  small  changes  in  the  forma 
tion  of  the  ground,  that  were  of  the  greatest  service  to  him, 
without  permitting  curious  eyes  to  come  so  near  as  to  de 
tect  his  artifices. 

"  Now  open  your  ears,  Crowsfeather ;  and  you,  Cloud  ; 
and  all  of  you,  young  braves,"  commenced  the  bee-hunter 
solemnly,  and  with  a  steadiness  that  was  admirable  ;  "  yes, 
open  wide  your  ears.  The  Great  Spirit  has  given  the  red 
man  a  nose  that  he  might  smell  —  does  the  Cloud  smell 
more  than  common?" 

"  Sartain  —  smell  whiskey  —  this  Whiskey  Centre  dey 
say — nat'ral  dat  such  smell  be  here." 

"  Do  all  the  chiefs  and  warriors  of  the  Pottawattamies 
who  are  present,  also  smell  the  same  ?" 

"  S'pose  so — why  he  don't,  eh?  Got  nose — can  smell 
whiskey  good  way,  tell  you." 

"  It  is  right  they  should  smell  the  liquor  here,  for  out 
of  this  rock  a  whiskey  spring  will  soon  begin  to  run.  It 
will  begin  with  a  very  small  stream,  but  soon  will  there  be 
enough  to  satisfy  everybody.  The  Great  Manitou  knows 
that  his  red  children  are  dry ;  he  has  sent  a  '  medicine 
man'  of  the  pale-faces  to  find  a  spring  for  them.  Now, 
look  at  this  piece  of  rock — it  is  dry — not  even  the  dew  has 
yet  moistened  it.  See — it  is  made  like  a  wooden  bowl,  that 
it  may  hold  the  liquor  of  the  spring.  Let  Crowsfeather 
smell  it — smell  it,  Cloud — let  all  my  young  men  smell  it, 
too,  that  they  may  be  certain  that  there  is  nothing  there." 

On  this  invitation,  accompanied  as  it  was  by  divers 
flourishes  of  the  wand,  and  uttered  in  a  deep  solemn  tone 
of  voice,  the  whole  party  of  the  Indians  gathered  around 
the  small  hollow  basin-like  cavity  pointed  out  by  the  bee- 
hunter,  in  order  both  to  see  and  smell.  Most  knelt,  and 
each  and  all  applied  their  noses  to  the  rock,  as  near  the 
bowl  as  they  could  thrust  them.  Even  the  dignified  and 
distrustful  Crowsfeather  could  not  refrain  from  bending  in 
the  crowd.  This  was  the  moment  for  which  le  Bour- 


132  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

don  wished,  and  he  instantly  prepared  to  carry  out  hie 
design. 

Previously,  however,  to  completing  the  project  originally 
conceived,  a  momentary  impulse  prevailed  which  urged 
him  to  adopt  a  new  mode  of  effecting  his  escape.  Now, 
that  most  of  the  savages  were  on  their  hands  and  knees, 
struggling  to  get  their  noses  as  near  as  possible  to  the  bowl, 
and  all  were  intent  on  the  same  object,  it  occurred  to  the 
bee-hunter,  who  was  almost  as  active  as  the  panther  of  the 
American  forest,  that  he  might  dash  on  towards  the  canoe, 
and  make  his  escape  without  further  mummery.  Had  it 
been  only  a  question  of  human  speed,  perhaps  such  would 
have  been  the  wisest  thing  he  could  do;  but  a  moment's 
reflection  told  him  how  much  swifter  than  any  foot  of 
man  was  the  bullet  of  a  rifle.  The  distance  exceeded  a 
hundred  yards,  and  it  was  altogether  in  bright  light,  by 
means  of  the  two  fires,  Wolfeye  continuing  to  pile  brush 
on  that  near  which  he  still  maintained  his  post,  as  if  afraid 
the  precious  liquor  would  start  out  of  the  scent-spot,  and 
be  wasted  should  he  abandon  his  ward.  Happily,  there 
fore,  le  Bourdon  relinquished  this  dangerous  project  almost 
as  soon  as  it  was  entertained,  turning  his  attention  imme 
diately  to  the  completion  of  the  plan  originally  laid. 

It  has  been  said  that  the  bee-hunter  made  sundry  flou 
rishes  with  his  wand.  While  the  savages  were  most  eager 
in  endeavouring  to  smell  the  rock,  he  lightly  touched  the 
earth  that  confined  the  whiskey  in  the  largest  pool,  and 
opened  a  passage  by  which  the  liquor  could  trickle  down 
the  side  of  the  rock,  selecting  a  path  for  itself,  until  it  ac 
tually  came  into  the  bowl,  by  a  sinuous  but  certain  channel ! 

Here  was  a  wonder  !  Liquor  could  not  only  be  smelled, 
but  it  could  be  actually  seen !  As  for  Cloud,  not  satisfied 
with  gratifying  the  two  senses  connected  wkh  the  discov 
eries  named,  he  began  to  lap  with  his  tongue,  like  a  dog, 
to  try  the  effect  of  taste. 

"  The  Manitou  does  not  hide  his  face  from  the  Potta- 
wattamie*!"  exclaimed  this  savage,  rising  to  his  feet  in 
astonishment;  "this  is  fire-water,  and  such  as  the  pale 
faces  bring  us  for  skins !" 

Others  imitated  his  example,  and  the  exclamations  of 
wonder  and  delight  flew  from  mouth  to  mouth,  in  a  torrent 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  133 

of  vehement  assertions  and  ejaculations.  So  great  a 
"  medicine"  charm  had  never  before  been  witnessed  in 
that  tribe,  or  in  that  region,  and  a  hundred  more  might 
succeed,  before  another  should  equal  this  in  its  welcome 
character.  There  was  whiskey,  of  a  certainty,  not  much 
in  quantity,  to  be  sure,  but  of  excellent  quality,  as  several 
affirmed,  and  coming  in  a  current  that  was  slowly  in 
creasing  !  This  last  sign  was  owing  to  the  circumstance 
that  le  Bourdon  had  deepened  the  outlet  of  the  pool,  per 
mitting  a  larger  quantity  to  flow  down  the  little  channel. 

The  moment  had  now  come  for  a  decisive  step.  The 
bee-hunter  knew  that  his  precious  rivulet  would  soon  cease 
to  run,  and  that  he  must  carry  out  his  design  under  the 
first  impressions  of  his  charm,  or  that  he  probably  would 
not  be  permitted  to  carry  it  out,  at  all.  At  this  moment 
even  Crowsfeather  appeared  to  be  awed  by  what  he  had 
seen ;  but  a  chief  so  sagacious  might  detect  the  truth,  and 
disappointment  would  then  be  certain  to  increase  the  pen 
alties  he  would  incur. 

Making  many  sweeps  of  his  wand,  and  touching  various 
points  of  the  rock,  both  to  occupy  the  attention  of  the  sav 
ages,  and  to  divert  it  from  his  pool,  the  bee-hunter  next  felt 
in  his  pocket  and  drew  out  a  small  piece  of  resin  that  he 
knew  was  there;  the  remains  of  a  store  with  which  he 
resined  the  bow  of  his  fiddle ;  for  our  hero  had  a  violin, 
among  his  effects,  and  often  used  it  in  his  solitary  abodes 
in  the  openings.  Breaking  this  resin  on  a  coal,  he  made  it 
flash  and  blaze ;  but  the  quantity  was  too  small  to  produce 
the  "  medicine-fire"  he  wanted. 

"  I  have  more  in  my  canoe,"  he  said,  addressing  himself 
to  the  interpreter ;  "  while  I  go  for  it,  the  red  men  must 
not  stir,  lest  they  destroy  a  pale-face's  doings.  Least  of 
all  must  they  go  near  the  spring.  It  would  be  better  for 
the  chiefs  to  lead  away  their  young  men,  and  make  them 
stand  under  that  oak,  where  nothing  can  be  done  to  hurt 
the  '  medicine  charm.'  " 

The  bee-hunter  pointed  to  a  tree  that  stood  in  the  direc 
tion  of  the  canoe,  in  order  to  prevent  distrust,  though  he 
had  taken  care  to  select  a  spot,  whence  the  little  craft 
could  not  be  seen,  on  account  of  an  intervening  swell  in 
the  land.  Crowsfeather  led  his  warriors  to  the  indicated 
12 


134  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

place,  where  they  took  their  stations,  in  silent  and  grave 
attention. 

In  the  meanwhile,  le  Bourdon  continued  his  incantations 
aloud ;  walking  towards  his  canoe,  waving  his  wand,  and 
uttering  a  great  deal  of  gibberish  as  he  slowly  proceeded. 
In  passing  the  tree,  our  hero,  though  he  did  not  turn  his 
head,  was  sensible  that  he  was  followed  by  the  chiefs,  a 
movement  against  which  he  did  not  dare  to  remonstrate, 
though  it  sadly  disappointed  him.  Neither  hastening,  nor 
retarding  his  steps,  however,  in  consequence  of  this  unplea 
sant  circumstance,  the  young  man  continued  on ;  once  or 
twice  sweeping  the  wand  behind  him,  in  order  to  ascertain 
if  he  could  reach  his  followers.  But  Crowsfeather  and  his 
companions  stopped  when  they  reached  the  swell  of  land 
which  concealed  the  canoe,  suffering  the  "  medicine-man" 
to  move  on,  alone.  Of  this  fact  le  Bourdon  became  aware, 
by  turning  three  times  in  a  circle,  and  pointing  upwards 
at  the  heavens  with  his  wand,  as  he  did  so. 

It  was  a  nervous  moment  when  the  bee-hunter  reached 
the  canoe.  He  did  not  like  to  look  behind  him,  again,  lest 
the  chiefs  should  suspect  his  motive,  and,  in  shoving  off 
from  the  shore,  he  might  do  so  within  a  few  yards  of  the 
muzzle  of  a  hostile  rifle.  There  was  no  time  to  lose,  how 
ever,  for  any  protracted  delay  on  his  part  would  certainly 
cause  the  savages  to  approach,  through  curiosity,  if  not 
through  distrust  of  his  motives.  He  stepped  into  his  light 
craft,  therefore,  without  any  delay,  still  flourishing  his 
wand,  and  muttering  his  incantations.  The  first  thing  was 
to  walk  to  the  stern  of  the  canoe,  that  his  weight  might 
raise  the  bow  from  the  shore,  and  also  that  he  might  have 
an  excuse  for  turning  round,  and  thus  get  another  look  at 
the  Indians.  So  critical  was  his  situation,  and  so  nervous 
did  it  make  our  young  hero,  that  he  took  no  heed  of  the 
state  of  matters  in  the  canoe,  until  the  last  moment.  When 
he  had  turned,  however,  he  ascertained  that  the  two  prin 
cipal  chiefs  had  drawn  so  near  as  to  be  within  twenty  yards 
of  him,  though  neither  held  his  rifle  at  "  ready,"  but  each 
leaned  on  it  in  a  careless  manner,  as  if  in  no  anticipation 
of  any  necessity  to  make  a  speedy  use  of  the  weapon. 
This  state  of  things  could  not  last,  and  le  Bourbon  braced 
his  nerves  for  the  final  trial.  On  looking  for  his  paddle, 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  135 

however,  he  found  that  of  three,  which  the  canoe  had  con 
tained  when  he  left  it,  not  one  was  to  be  seen  !  These 
wily  savages  had,  out  of  all  question,  taken  their  opportunity 
to  remove  and  secrete  these  simple,  but  almost  indispensa 
ble,  means  of  motion. 

At  the  instant  when  first  apprised  of  the  loss  just  men 
tioned,  the  bee-hunter's  heart  sunk  within  him,  and  he  fell 
into  the  seat  in  the  stern  of  the  canoe,  nearly  with,  the 
weight  of  so  much  lead.  Then  a  species  of  desperation 
came  over  him,  and  putting  an  end  of  his  cane  wand  upon 
the  bottom,  with  a  vigorous  shove,  he  forced  the  canoe 
swiftly  astern  and  to  windward.  Sudden  as  was  this 
attempt,  and  rapid  as  was  the  movement,  the  jealous  eyes 
and  ready  hands  of  the  chiefs  seemed  to  anticipate  it.  Two 
shots  were  fired  within  a  few  seconds  after  the  canoe  had 
quitted  the  shore.  The  reports  of  the  rifles  were  a  decla 
ration  of  hostilities,  and  a  general  yell,  accompanied  by  a 
common  rush  towards  the  river,  announced  that  the  whole 
band  now  understood  that  some  deception  had  been  prac 
tised  at  their  expense. 

Although  the  two  chiefs  in  advance  had  been  so  very 
prompt,  they  were  not  quick  enough  for  the  rapid  move 
ment  of  the  canoe.  The  distance  between  the  stern  of  the 
boat  and  the  rice-plants,  was  so  small,  that  the  single,  des 
perate  shove  given  by  the  bee-hunter,  sufficed  to  bury  his 
person  in  the  cover,  before  the  leaden  messengers  reached 
him.  Anticipating  this  very  attempt,  and  knowing  that 
the  savages  might  get  their  range  from  the  part  of  the  canoe 
that  was  still  in  sight,  le  Bourdon  bent  his  body  far  over 
the  gunwale,  grasping  the  rice-plants  at  the  same  time, 
and  hauling  his  little  craft  through  them,  in  the  way  that 
sailors  call  "  hand  over  hand."  This  expedient  most  pro 
bably  saved  his  life.  While  bending  over  the  gunwale,  he 
heard  the  crack  of  the  rifles,  and  the  whizzing  of  two  bul 
lets  that  appeared  to  pass  just  behind  him.  By  this  time, 
the  whole  of  the  canoe  was  within  the  cover. 

In  a  moment  like  that  we  are  describing,  incidents  pass 
so  rapidly  as  almost  to  defy  description.  It  was  not  twenty 
seconds  from  the  instant  when  le  Bourdon  first  put  hia 
wand  down  to  push  the  canoe  from  the  land,  ere  he  found 
his  person  emerging  from  the  cover,  on  its  weather  side. 


136  1HE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

Here  he  was  effectually  conce'aled  from  his  enemies,  noi 
only  on  account  of  the  cover  made  by  the  rice-plants,  but 
by  reason  of  the  darkness;  the  light  not  extending  far 
enough  from  the  fire  to  illumine  objects  on  the  river. 
Nevertheless,  new  difficulties  presented  themselves.  When 
clear  of  the  rice,  the  wind,  which  still  blew  strong,  pressed 
upon  his  canoe  to  such  a  degree,  as  not  only  to  stop  its 
further  movement  from  the  shore,  but  so  as  to  turn  it 
broadside  to,  to  its  power.  Trying  with  his  wand,  the 
bee-hunter  ascertained  that  it  would  no  longer  reach  the 
bottom.  Then  he  attempted  to  use  the  cane  as  a  paddle, 
but  soon  found  it  had  not  sufficient  hold  of  the  water  to 
answer  for  such  an  implement.  The  most  he  could  effect 
with  it,  in  that  way,  was  to  keep  the  canoe  for  a  short  dis 
tance  along  the  outer  edge  of  the  rice,  until  it  reached  a 
spot  where  the  plant  extended  a  considerable  distance  far 
ther  towards  the  middle  of  the  river.  Once  within  this 
little  forest  of  the  wild  rice,  he  was  enabled  to  drag  the 
canoe  further  and  further  from  the  north  shore,  though  his 
progress  was  both  slow  and  laborious,  on  account  of  the 
resistance  met. 

All  this  time,  the  savages  were  not  idle.  Until  the  canoe 
got  within  its  new  cover,  it  was  at  no  instant  fifty  yards 
from  the  beach,  and  the  yells,  and  orders,  and  whoopings 
sounded  as  if  uttered  directly  in  le  Bourdon's  ear.  A 
splashing  in  the  water  soon  announced  that  our  fugitive 
was  pursued  by  swimmers.  As  the  savages  knew  that  the 
bee-hunter  was  without  a  paddle,  and  that  the  wind  blew 
fresh,  the  expectation  of  overtaking  their  late  captive,  in 
this  manner,  was  by  no  means  chimerical.  Half  a  dozen 
active  young  men  would  prove  very  formidable  to  one  in 
such  a  situation,  more  especially  while  entangled  in  the 
mazes  of  the  rice-plant.  The  bee-hunter  was  so  well  con 
vinced  of  this  circumstance,  that  no  sooner  did  he  hear  the 
plashes  of  the  swimmers,  than  he  redoubled  his  exertions 
to  pull  his  canoe  farther  from  the  spot.  But  his  progress* 
was  slow,  and  he  was  soon  convinced  that  his  impunit) 
was  more  owing  to  the  fact  that  his  pursuers  did  not  know 
where  to  find  him,  than  to  the  rapidity  of  his  flight. 

Notwithstanding  his  exertions,  and  the  start  obtained 
le  Bourbon  soon  fblt  assured  that  the  swimmers  were  withii 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  137 

a  hundred  feet  of  him,  their  voices  coming  from  the  outer 
margin  of  the  cover  in  which  he  now  lay>  stationary.  He 
had  ceased  dragging  the  canoe  ahead,  from  an  apprehension 
of  being  heard,  though  the  rushing  of  the  wind  and  the 
rustling  of  the  rice  might  have  assured  him  that  the  slight 
noises  made  by  his  own  movements  would  not  be  very 
likely  to  rise  above  those  sounds.  The  splashing  of  the 
swimmers,  and  their  voices,  gradually  drew  nearer,  until 
the  bee-hunter  took  up  his  rifle,  determined  to  sacrifice 
the  first  savage  who  approached ;  hoping,  thereby,  to 
intimidate  the  others.  For  the  first  time,  it  now  occurred 
to  him  that  the  breech  of  his  rifle  might  be  used  as  a 
paddle,  and  he  was  resolved  to  apply  it  to  that  service, 
could  he  once  succeed  in  extricating  himself  from  the 
enemies  by  whom  he  was  nearly  environed,  and  from  the 
rice. 

Just  as  le  Bourdon  fancied  that  the  crisis  had  arrived, 
and  that  he  should  soon  be  called  on  to  kill  his  man,  a 
shout  was  given  by  a  savage  at  some  distance  in  the  river, 
and  presently  calls  passed  from  mouth  to  mouth,  among  the 
swimmers.  Our  hero  now  listened  to  a  degree  that  kept 
his  faculty  of  hearing  at  a  point  of  painful  attention.  The 
voices  and  plashes  on  the  water  receded,  and  what  was 
startling,  a  sound  was  heard  resembling  that  which  is  pro 
duced  by  a  paddle  when  struck  incautiously  against  the 
side  of  a  canoe.  Was  it  then  possible  that  the  Chippewa 
was  out,  or  had  the  Pottawattamies  one  boat  that  had 
escaped  his  attention?  The  last  was  not  very  probable,  as 
he  had  several  times  counted  their  little  fleet,  and  was 
pretty  sure  of  having  taken  it  all  to  the  other  side  of  the 
river.  The  sound  of  the  paddle  was  repeated,  however ; 
then  it  occurred  to  the  bee-hunter  that  Pigeonswing  might 
be  on  the  scent  for  another  scalp. 

Although  the  conjecture  just  mentioned  was  exceedingly 
unpleasant  to  le  Bourdon,  the  chase  of  the  strange  canoe 
gave  him  an  opportunity  to  drag  his  own  light  craft  ahead, 
penetrating  deeper  and  deeper  among  the  wild  rice,  which 
now  spread  itself  to  a  considerable  distance  from  the  shore, 
and  grew  so  thick  as  to  make  it  impossible  to  get  through 
the  waving  mass.  At  length,  wearied  with  his  exertions, 
and  a  little  uncertain  as  to  his  actual  petition,  our  hero 
12* 


138  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

paused,  listening  intently,  in  order  to  catch  any  sounds 
that  might  direct  his  future  movements. 

By  this  time,  the  savages  had  ceased  to  call  to  each 
other ;  most  probably  conscious  of  the  advantage  it  gave 
the  fugitive.  The  bee-hunter.perfectly  understood  that  his 
oursuers  must  be  aware  of  its  being  entirely  out  of  his 
power  to  get  to  windward,  and  that  they  would  keep  along 
the  shore  of  the  river,  as  he  did  himself,  expecting  to  see 
his  canoe,  sooner  or  later,  driven  by  the  wind  on  the  beach. 
This  had  made  him  anxious  to  drag  his  boat  as  much  to 
wards  the  outer  edge  of  the  rice  as  he  could  get  it,  and, 
by  the  puffs  of  wind  that  he  occasionally  felt,  he  hoped 
he  had,  in  a  great  measure,  effected  his  purpose.  Still  he 
had  his  apprehensions  of  the  savages ;  as  some  would  be 
very  apt  to  swim  quite  out  into  the  stream,  not  only  to  look 
for  him,  but  to  avoid  being  entangled  among  the  plants. 
It  was  only  in  the  natural  channels  of  the  rice,  of  which 
there  were  a  good  many,  that  a  swimmer  could  very  readily 
make  his  way,  or  be  in  much  safety.  By  waiting  long 
enough,  moreover,  the  bee-hunter  was  sure  he  should  tire 
out  his  pursuers,  and  thus  get  rid  of  them. 

Just  as  le  Bourdon  began  to  think  this  last  mentioned 
purpose  had  been  accomplished,  he  heard  low  voices  di 
rectly  to  windward,  and  the  plashing  of  water,  as  if  more 
than  one  man  was  coming  down  upon  him,  forcing  the 
stalks  of  the  plants  aside.  He  grasped  the  rifle,  and  let 
the  canoe  drift,  which  it  did  slowly,  under  the  power  of 
the  wind,  notwithstanding  the  protection  of  the  cover. 
The  swimmers  forced  their  way  through  the  stalks ;  but 
it  was  evident,  just  then,  that  they  were  more  occupied  by 
their  present  pursuit,  than  in  looking  for  him.  Presently, 
a  canoe  came  brushing  through  the  rice,  forced  by  the 
wind,  and  dragged  by  two  savages,  one  of  whom  swam  on 
each  bow.  The  last  did  not  see  the  bee-hunter,  or  his 
canoe,  the  one  nearest  having  his  face  turned  in  the  oppo 
site  direction  ;  but  they  were  distinctly  seen  by  the  former. 
Surprised  that  a  seizure  should  be  made  with  so  little 
fracas,  le  Bourdon  bent  forward  to  look  the  better,  and,  as 
the  stern  of  the  strange  canoe  came  almost  under  his  eyes, 
he  saw  the  form  of  Margery  lying  in  its  bottom.  His 
blood  curdled  at  this  sight ;  for,  his  first  impression  was, 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  139 

that  the  charming  young  creature  had  been  killed  and 
scalped:  but  there  being  no  time  to  lose,  he  sprang  lightly 
from  one  canoe  to  the  other,  carrying  the  rifle  in  his  hand. 
As  he  struck  in  the  bottom  of  the  boat  of  Gershom,  he 
heard  his  name  uttered  in  a  sweet  female  voice,  and  knew 
that  Margery  was  living.  Without  stopping,  however,  to 
inquire  more,  he  moved  to  the  head  of  the  canoe,  and 
with  a  sharp  blow  on  the  fingers,  made  each  of  the  savages 
release  his  grasp.  Then,  seizing  the  rice-plants,  he 
dragged  the  little  craft  swiftly  to  windward  again.  All  this 
was  done,  as  it  might  be  in  an  instant;  the  savages  and 
the  canoe  being  separated  some  twenty  feet,  in  much  less 
time  than  is  required  to  relate  the  occurrence. 

"  Bourdon,  are  you  injured  ?"  asked  Margery,  her  voice 
trembling  with  anxiety. 

"  Not  in  the  least,  dear  Margery — and  you,  my  excel- 
lent  girl  ?" 

"They  caught  my  canoe,  and  I  almost  died  of  fright; 
but  they  have  only  dragged  it  towards  the  shore." 

"  God  be  praised  !     Is  there  any  paddle  in  the  canoe  ?" 

"  There  are  several — one  is  at  your  feet,  Bourdon — and 
here,  I  have  another." 

"  Then,  let  us  search  for  my  canoe,  and  get  out  of  the 
rice.  If  we  can  but  find  my  canoe,  we  shall  be  safe 
enough,  for  the  savages  have  nothing  in  which  to  cross 
the  river.  Keep  your  eyes  about  you,  Margery,  and  look 
among  the  rice  for  the  other  boat." 

The  search  was  not  long,  but  it  was  intently  anxious, 
length  Margery  saw  the  lost  canoe  just  as  it  was  drift 
ing  past  them,  and  it  was  secured  immediately.  In  a  few 
minutes,  le  Bourdon  succeeded  in  forcing  the  two  craft 
into  open  water,  when  it  was  easy  for  him  to  paddle  both 
to  windward.  The  reader  can  readily  imagine  that  our 
hero  did  not  permit  many  minutes  to  elapse,  ere  he  ques 
tioned  his  companion  on  the  subject  of  her  adventures. 
Nor  was  Margery  reluctant  to  tell  them.  She  had  become 
alarmed  at  le  Bourdon's  protracted  absence,  and  taking 
advantage  of  Pigeonswing  lying  down,  she  unloaded  her 
brother's  canoe,  and  went  out  into  the  river  to  look  for  the 
absent  one.  As  a  matter  of  course — though  so  feminine 
and  far  removed  from  all  appearance  of  coarseness  a  true 


MO  THE     OAK    OPENINGS. 

American  girl  in  this  respect — Margery  knew  perfectly 
well  how  to  manage  a  bark  canoe.  The  habits  of  her  life 
for  the  last  few  years,  made  her  acquainted  with  this  simple 
art;  and  strength  being  much  less  needed  than  skill,  she 
had  no  difficulty  in  going  whither  she  wished.  The  fires 
served  as  beacons,  and  Margery  had  been  a  distant  wit 
ness  of  the  bee-hunter's  necromancy  as  well  as  of  his 
escape.  The  instant  the  latter  was  effected,  she  endea 
voured  to  join  him  ;  and  it  was  while  incautiously  paddling 
along  the  outer  edge  of  the  rice,  with  this  intention,  that 
her  canoe  was  seized  by  two  of  the  swimmers.  As  soon 
as  these  last  ascertained  that  they  had  captured  a  "  squaw," 
they  did  not  give  themselves  the  trouble  to  get  into  the 
canoe — a  very  difficult  operation  with  one  made  of  bark, 
and  which  is  not  loaded — but  they  set  about  towing  the 
captured  craft  to  the  shore,  swimming  each  with  a  single 
hand,  and  holding  on  by  the  other. 

"  I  shall  not  soon  forget  this  kindness  of  yours,  Mar 
gery,"  said  le  Bourdon,  with  warmth,  when  the  girl  had 
ended  her  simple  tale,  which  had  been  related  in  the  most 
artless  and  ingenuous  manner.  "  No  man  could  forget  so 
generous  a  risk  on  the  part  of  a  young  woman  in  his  be 
half." 

"  I  hope  you  do  not  think  it  wrong,  Bourdon — I  should 
be  sorry  to  have  you  think  ill  of  me  !" 

"Wrong,  dear  Margery!  —  but  no  matter.  Let  us  get 
ourselves  out  of  present  difficulties,  and  into  a  place  of 
safety;  then  I  will  tell  you  honestly  what  I  think  of  it, 
and  of  you,  too.  Was  your  brother  awake,  dear  Margery, 
when  you  left  the  family?" 

"  I  believe  not — he  sleeps  long  and  heavily  after  drink 
ing.  But  he  can  now  drink  no  more,  until  he  reaches  the 
settlements." 

"  Not  unless  he  find  the  Whiskey  Spring,"  returned 
the  bee-hunter,  laughing. 

,The  young  man  then  related  to  his  wondering  compa 
nion  the  history  of  the  mummery  and  incantations  of 
which  she  had  been  a  distant  spectator.  Le  Bourdon's 
heart  was  light,  after  his  hazards  and  escape,  and  hia 
spirits  rose  as  his  narrative  proceeded.  Nor  was  pretty 
Margery  in  a  mood  to  balk  his  humour.  As  the  bee- 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  141 

hunter  recounted  his  contrivances  to  elude  the  savages, 
and  most  especially  when  he  gave  the  particulars  of  the 
manner  in  which  he  managed  to  draw  whiskey  out  of  the 
living  rock,  the  girl  joined  in  his  merriment,  and  filled  the 
boat  with  that  melody  of  the  laugh  of  her  years  and  sex, 
which  is  so  beautifully  described  by  Halleck. 


CHAPTER  X. 

The  things  that  once  she  loved  are  still  the  same ; 
Yet  now  there  needs  another  name 
To  give  the  feeling  which  they  claim, 

While  she  the  feeling  gives  ; 
She  cannot  call  it  gladness  or  delight ; 
And  yet  there  seems  a  richer,  lovelier  light 

On  e'en  the  humblest  thing  that  lives. 

WASHINGTON  ALSTON-. 

THE  history  given  by  le  Bourdon  lasted  until  the  canoes 
reached  the  south  shore.  Glad  enough  was  Dorothy  to  see 
them  both  safe  back,  for  neither  of  her  companions  had 
yet  awoke.  It  was  then  midnight,  and  all  now  retired  to 
seek  the  rest,  which  might  be  so  needful  to  prepare  them 
for  the  exertions  of  the  next  day.  The  bee-hunter  slept 
in  his  canoe,  while  Margery  shared  the  buffalo-skin  of  her 
sister. 

As  perfect  security,  for  the  moment  at  least,  was  felt  by 
the  sleepers,  their  slumbers  were  sound,  and  reached  into 
the  morning.  Then  le  Bourdon  arose,  and  withdrawing 
to  a  proper  distance,  he  threw  off  his  clothes  and  plunged 
into  the  stream,  in  conformity  with  a  daily  practice  of  his 
at  that  genial  season  of  the  year.  After  bathing,  the  young 
man  ascended  a  hill,  whence  he  might  get  a  good  view  of 
the  opposite  shore,  and  possibly  obtain  some  notion  of 
what  the  Pottawattamies  were  about.  In  all  his  move 
ments,  however,  the  bee-hunter  had  an  eye  to  the  conceal 
ment  of  his  person,  it  being  of  the  last  importance  that 
the  savages  should  not  learn  his  position.  With  the  in. 


142  THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

tention  of  concealment,  the  fire  had  been  suffered  to  go 
down,  a  smoke  being  a  sign  that  no  Indian  would  be  likelv 
to  overlook.  As  for  the  canoes  and  the  bivouac  of  the 
party,  the  wild  rice,  and  an  intermediate  hill,  formed  a 
perfect  cover,  so  long  as  nothing  was  shown  above  them. 

From  the  height  to  which  he  ascended,  the  bee-hunter, 
aided  by  his  glass,  got  a  very  clear  view  of  Whiskey 
Centre  and  the  parts  adjacent.  The  savages  were  already 
stirring,  and  were  busy  in  the  various  avocations  of  the 
red  man  on  a  war-path.  One  party  was  disposing  of  the 
body  of  their  dead  companion.  Several  were  cooking,  or 
cleaning  the  wild  fowl  shot  in  the  bay,  while  a  group  was 
collected  near  the  spot  of  the  wished-for  spring,  reluctant 
to  abandon  the  hopes  to  which  it  had  given  birth,  at  the 
very  moment  they  were  plotting  to  obtain  the  scalp  of  the 
"  rnedicine-man."  The  beloved  "  fire-water,"  that  se 
duces  so  many  to  their  destruction,  who  have  enjoyed 
the  advantages  of  moral  teaching,  and  which  has  been  a 
withering  curse  on  the  red  man  of  this  continent,  still  had 
its  influence ;  and  the  craving  appetites  of  several  of  the 
drunkards  of  the  party  brought  them  to  the  spot,  as  soon 
as  their  eyes  opened  on  the  new  day.  The  bee-hunter 
could  see  some  of  this  cluster  kneeling  on  the  rocks,  lap 
ping  like  hounds  at  the  scattered  little  pools  of  the  liquor, 
while  others  scented  around,  in  the  hope  of  yet  discover 
ing  the  bird  that  laid  the  golden  egg.  Le  Bourdon  had 
now  little  expectation  that  his  assumed  character  could  be 
maintained  among  these  savages  any  longer,  did  accident 
again  throw  him  in  their  way.  The  chiefs,  he  saw,  had 
distrusted  him  all  along,  but  had  given  him  an  opportunity 
to  prove  what  he  could  do,  in  order  to  satisfy  the  more 
vulgar  curiosity  of  their  young  men.  He  wisely  deter 
mined,  therefore,  to  keep  out  of  the  hands  of  his  enemies. 

Although  le  Bourdon  could  hold  a  conversation  in  the 
tongue  of  the  Ojebways,  he  was  not  fond  of  so  doing.  He 
comprehended  without  difficulty  nearly  all  of  what  was 
said  by  them,  and  had  observed  the  previous  night  that  the 
warriors  made  many  allusions  to  a  chief,  whom  they  styled 
Onoah,  but  who  he  himself  knew  was  usually  called 
Scalping  Peter,  among  the  whites  of  that  frontier.  This 
sa>"4ge  had  a  fearful  reputation  at  all  the  garrisons,  though 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  143 

ho  never  showed  himself  in  them  ;  and  he  was  now  spoken 
of  by  the  Pottawattarnies  present,  as  if  they  expected  to 
meet  him  soon,  and  to  be  governed  by  his  commands  or 
his  advice.  The  bee-hunter  had  paid  great  attention 
whenever  this  dreaded  name  was  mentioned,  for  he  was 
fully  aware  of  the  importance  of  keeping  clear  of  an 
enemy,  who  bore  so  bad  a  reputation,  that  it  was  not  con 
sidered  prudent  for  a  white  man  to  remain  long  in  his  com 
pany,  even  in  a  time  of  peace.  His  English  sobriquet  had 
been  obtained  from  the  circumstance  of  its  being  reputed 
hat  this  chief,  who  seemed  to  belong  to  no  tribe  in  parti- 
ular,  while  he  had  great  influence  with  all,  had  on  divers 
occasions  murdered  the  pale-faces  who  fell  in  his  way,  and 
then  scalped  them.  It  was  added,  that  he  had  already 
forty  notches  on  his  pole,  to  note  that  number  of  scalps 
taken  from  the  hated  whites.  In  short,  this  Indian,  a  sort 
af  chief  by  birth,  though  of  what  tribe  no  one  exactly 
'<new,  appeared  to  live  only  to  revenge  the  wrongs  done 
his  colour  by  the  intruders,  who  had  come  from  towards 
vhe  rising  sun  to  drive  his  people  into  the  great  salt  lake, 
en  the  other  side  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  Of  course 
there  was  a  good  deal  that  was  questionable  in  these  re 
ports  ;  a  rumour  in  the  "  openings"  and  on  the  prairies, 
having  this  general  resemblance  to  those  that  circulate  in 
towns,  and  in  drawing-rooms,  and  at  feasts,  that  no  one  of 
them  all  can  be  relied  on  as  rigidly  exact.  But  le  Bour 
don  was  still  young,  and  had  yet  to  learn  how  little  of  that 
which  we  all  hear  is  true,  and  how  very  much  is  false. 
Nevertheless,  as  an  Indian  tradition  is  usually  more  accu 
rate  than  a  white  man's  written  history,  so  is  a  rumour  of 
the  forest  generally  entitled  to  more  respect  than  the 
ceaseless  gossipings  of  the  beings  who  would  be  affronted 
were  they  not  accounted  civilized. 

The  bee-hunter  was  still  on  the  elevated  bit  of  ground, 
making  his  observations,  when  he  was  joined  by  Margery. 
The  girl  appeared  fresh  and  handsome,  after  a  night  of 
sleep,  and  coming  from  her  dressing-room  in  a  thicket,  and 
over  a  stream  of  sweet,  running  water  ;  but  she  was  sad 
and  thoughtful.  No  sooner  had  le  Bourdon  shaken  her 
hand,  and  repeated  his  thanks  for  the  succour  of  the  past 
night,  than  the  full  heart  of  Margery  poured  out  its  feel- 


144  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

ings,  as  the  swollen  stream  overflows  its  banks,  and  began 
to  weep. 

"  Brother  is  awake,"  she  said,  so  soon  as  her  sobs  were 
quieted  by  a  powerful  effort ;  "  but,  as  is  usual  with  him 
after  hard  drinking,  so  stupid,  that  Dolly  cannot  make  him 
understand  our  danger.  He  tells  her  he  has  seen  too 
many  Injins  to  be  afraid  of  these,  and  that  they  will  never 
harm  a  family  that  has  brought  so  much  liquor  into  their 
country." 

"  His  senses  must  be  at  a  low  ebb,  truly,  if  he  counts 
on  Injin  friendship  because  he  has  sold  fire-water  to  the 
young  men !"  answered  le  Bourdon,  with  a  nice  under 
standing  of  not  only  Indian  nature,  but  of  human  nature. 
"  We  may  like  the  sin,  Margery,  while  we  detest  the 
tempter.  I  have  never  yet  met  with  the  man,  pale-face 
or  red  skin,  who  did  not  curse,  in  his  sober  moments,  the 
hand  that  fed  his  appetite  while  intoxicated." 

"  I  dare  say  that  may  be  very  true,"  returned  the  girl, 
in  a  low  voice ;  "  but  one  has  need  of  his  reason  to  un 
derstand  it.  What  will  become  of  us  now,  it  is  hard  to 
say !" 

"  Why,  now,  Margery,  more  than  yesterday,  or  the  day 
before  ?" 

"  Yesterday  there  were  no  savages  near  us,  and  Ger- 
shorn  had  all  along  told  us  he  intended  to  start  for  the 
garrison,  at  the  head  of  the  lake,  as  soon  as  he  got  back 
from  his  visit  to  the  openings.  He  is  back ;  but  not  in  a 
state  to  protect  his  wife  and  sister  from  the  red  men,  who 
will  be  looking  for  us  as  soon  as  they  can  build  a  canoe, 
tJr  anything  that  will  do  to  cross  the  river  with." 

"  Had  they  even  a  canoe,"  returned  le  Bourdon,  coolly, 
"  they  would  not  know  where  to  look  for  us.  Thank 
Heaven !  that  will  be  a  job  that  would  take  some  time  ; 
nor  is  a  bark  canoe  built  in  a  minute.  But,  Margery,  if 
your  brother  be  a  little  dull  and  heavy,  after  his  debauch, 
/"am  sober,  and  as  much  awake  as  ever  I  was  in  my  life." 

"  Oh !  you  have  no  weakness  like  that  of  poor  brother's, 
to  make  you  otherwise;  but,  Bourdon,  you  will  naturally 
wish  to  take  care  of  yourself  and  your  property,  and  will 
quit  us  the  first  good  opportunity.  I  'm  sure  that  we  have 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  145 

HO  right  to  expect  you  will  stay  a  minute  longer  than  it  is 
your  interest  to  do  so,  and  I  do  not  know  that  I  wish  it." 

" Not  wish  it!  Margery,"  exclaimed  the  bee-hunter,  in 
the  manner  of  a  disappointed  man.  "  I  had  supposed  you 
would  have  wished  my  company.  But,  now  I  know  the 
contrary,  I  shall  not  much  care  how  soon  I  go,  or  into 
whose  hands  I  fall." 

It  is  strange  how  apt  are  those  who  ought  to  understand 
one  another  so  readily,  to  misinterpret  each  other's  thoughts. 
Margery  had  never  seen  the  bee-hunter  twenty-four  hours 
before,  though  she  had  often  heard  of  him,  and  of  his  suc 
cess  in  his  art;  for  the  fame  of  a  man  of  good  reputation 
and  active  qualities  spreads  far  on  a  frontier.  The  very 
individual  whose  existence  would  be  nearly  overlooked  in 
a  crowded  region,  shall  be  spokon  of,  and  known  by  his 
qualities,  a  hundred  leagues  from  his  place  of  residence, 
when  settlements  are  few  arm  far  apart.  In  this  way,  Mar 
gery  had  heard  of  Boden,  or  of  "  Bourdon,"  as  she  called 
him,  in  common  with  hundreds  who,  confounding  his  real 
name  with  his  sobriquet,  made  the  mistake  of  using  the 
fast,  under  the  impression  that  it  was  \he  true  appellation. 
Margery  had  no  other  knowledge  of  F)-ench  than  the  few 
words  gleaned  in  her  slow  progress  a>ong  a  frontier  on 
which,  it  is  true,  more  of  that  language  than  of  any  other 
was  heard,  but  heard  under  circumstances  that  were  not  par 
ticularly  favourable  to  the  acquisition  of  a  foreign  tongue. 
Had  she  understood  the  real  meaning  of  "  Bourdon,"  she 
would  have  bitten  off  her  tongue  before  she  would  have 
once  called  Boden  by  such  an  appellation ;  though  the 
bee-hunter  himself  was  so  accustomed  to  his  Canadian 
nick-name,  as  to  care  nothing  at  all  about  it.  But  Mar 
gery  did  not  like  to  give  pain  to  any  one;  and,  least  of  all, 
would  she  desire  to  inflict  it  on  the  bee-hunter,  though  he 
were  only  an  acquaintance  of  a  day.  Still,  Margery  could 
not  muster  sufficient  courage  to  tell  her  new  friend  how 
much  he  was  mistaken,  and  that  of  all  the  youths  she  had 
ever  met,  she  would  most  prefer  to  keep  him  near  her  bro 
ther  and  sister  in  their  distress ;  while  the  young  man,  in 
spired  by  a  pure  and  infant  passion,  was  just  in  the  frame 
of  mind  to  believe  the  worst  of  himself,  and  of  his  claims 
13 


146  THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

to  the  attention  of  her  who  had  begun  to  occupy  so  many 
of  his  thoughts. 

No  explanation  occurring,  our  young  people  descended 
from  the  hill,  misconceiving  each  other's  meaning  and 
wishes,  and  unhappy  under  the  influence  of  an  ideal  source 
of  misery,  when  actual  circumstances  created  so  many  that 
were  substantial  and  real.  Gershom  was  found  awake,  but, 
as  his  sister  had  described  him,  stupid  and  lethargic.  The 
bee-hunter  at  once  saw  that,  in  his  present  condition, 
Whiskey  Centre  would  still  be  an  incumbrance  rather  than 
of  any  service,  in  the  event  of  an  occasion  for  extraordinary 
exertion.  Margery  had  hinted  that  it  usually  took  twenty- 
four  hours  to  bring  her  brother  entirely  round,  after  one  of 
his  serious  debaucnes;  and,  within  that  time,  it  was  more 
than  probable  that  the  fate  of  the  family  would  be  decided. 

Le  Bourdon  thought  intently,  during  breakfast,  of  the 
condition  of  his  party,  and  of  the  best  mode  of  proceeding, 
while  the  pallid  and  anxious  young  creature  at  his  side 
believed  he  was  deliberating  solely  on  the  best  means  of 
extricating  himself,  and  his  store  of  honey,  from  the  savages 
on  the  other  shore.  Had  the  acquaintance  between  these 
young  people  been  of  longer  date  than  it  actually  was, 
Margery  could  not  have  entertained  a  notion  so  injurious 
to  the  bee-hunter,  for  a  single  moment ;  but  there  was  no 
thing  either  violent,  or  depreciating,  in  supposing  that  one 
so  near  being  a  total  stranger  would  think  first  of  himself 
and  his  own  interests,  in  the  situation  in  which  this  young 
man  was  now  placed. 

Little  was  said  during  the  meal.  Dorothy  was  habitu;;Hy 
silent;  the  result  of  grief  and  care.  As  for  her  husbai.d, 
he  was  too  stupid  to  talk,  though  usually  somewhat  garru 
lous  ;  while  the  Indian  seldom  did  two  things  at  the  same 
time.  This  was  the  hour  for  acting;  when  that  for  talking 
should  arrive,  he  would  be  found  equal  to  its  duties. 
Pigeonswing  could  either  abstain  from  food,  or  could  in 
dulge  in  it  without  measure,  just  as  occasion  offered.  He 
had  often  gone  for  days  without  tasting  a  mouthful,  with 
the  exception  of  a  few  berries,  perhaps;  and  he  had  lain 
about  the  camp-fire,  a  week  at  a  time,  gorging  himself  with 
venison,  like  an  anaconda.  It  is  perhaps  fortunate  for  the 
American  Indian,  that  this  particular  quality  of  food  is  so 


THE    OAK     OPENINGS.  147 

very  easy  of  digestion,  since  his  excesses  on  it  are  noto 
rious,  and  so  common  to  his  habits  as  almost  to  belong 
to  his  nature.  Death  might  otherwise  often  be  the  con 
sequence. 

When  the  breakfast  was  ended,  it  was  time  to  consult 
about  the  future  course.  As  yet,  the  Pottawattamies  had 
made  no  new  discovery;  but  the  sagacity  of  the  red  man 
was  ever  to  be  feared,  when  it  came  to  be  merely  a  ques 
tion  of  finding  his  foe  in  a  forest. 

"  We  have  obtained  one  advantage  over  the  enemy," 
said  le  Bourdon,  "  by  crossing  the  river.  Water  leaves  no 
trail ;  even  had  Crowsfeather  a  canoe,  he  might  not  know 
where  to  go  in  it,  in  order  to  find  us." 

"  Dat  not  so,"  put  in  the  Chippewa,  a  little  dogmatically; 
"  know  we  hab  canoe — know  cross  river  in  him." 

"Why  should  they  know  this,  Pigeonswing?  We  may 
have  gone  out  upon  the  lake,  or  we  may  have  gone  up  into 
the  oak  openings  again,  for  anything  the  Pottawattamies 
can  know  to  the  contrary." 

"  Tell  you,  not  so.  Know  don't  go  on  lake,  cause  wind 
blow.  Know  don't  go  up  river,  cause  dat  hard  work; 
know  come  here,  cause  dat  easy.  Injin  like  to  do  what 
easy,  and  pale-face  do  just  what  Injin  do.  Crowsfeather 
make  raft,  pretty  soon ;  den  he  come  look  arter  scalp." 

"  Yes,"  said  Margery,  gently ;  "  you  had  better  load 
your  canoe  at  once,  and  go  on  the  lake,  while  the  savages 
cannot  reach  you.  The  wind  is  fair  for  them  that  are  to 
go  north ;  and  I  have  heard  you  say  that  you  are  bound  to 
Mackinaw." 

"  I  shall  load  my  canoe,  and  I  shall  load  yours,  too, 
Margery;  but  I  shall  not  go  away  from  this  family,  so  long 
as  any  in  it  stand  in  need  of  my  services." 

"  Brother  will  be  able  to  help  us  by  afternoon.  He  ma 
nages  a  canoe  well,  when  himself;  so  go,  Bourdon,  while 
you  can.  I  dare  say  you  have  a  mother  at  home ;  or  a 
Bister — perhaps  a  wife — " 

"  Neither,"  interrupted  the  bee-hunter,  with  emphasis. 
"  No  one  expects  me ;  no  one  has  a  right  to  expect  me." 

The  colour  stole  into  pretty  Margery's  cheeks  as  she 
heard  these  words,  and  a  ray  of  comfort  gleamed  on  an 
imagination  that,  for  the  last  hour,  had  been  pourtraying 


148  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

the  worst.  Still,  her  generous  temper  did  not  like  the 
idea  of  the  bee-hunter's  sacrificing  himself  for  those  who 
had  so  few  claims  on  him,  and  she  could  not  but  again  ad 
monish  him  of  the  necessity  of  losing  no  time. 

"  You  will  think  better  of  this,  Bourdon,"  the  girl  re 
sumed.  "  We  are  going  south,  and  cannot  quit  the  river 
with  this  wind;  but  you  could  not  have  a  better  time  to 
go  north,  unless  the  wind  blows  harder  than  I  think  it 
does." 

"The  lake  is  a  bad  water  for  a  canoe,  when  there  is 
much  wind,"  put  in  Gershom,  yawning  after  he  had  spoken, 
as  if  the  effort  fatigued  him.  "  I  wonder  what  we're  all 
doin'  over  on  this  side  of  the  river !  Whiskey  Centre  is  a 
good  enough  country  for  me ;  I  'm  going  back  to  look  arter 
my  casks,  now  I  've  breakfasted.  Come,  Doll ;  let  'a  load 
up,  and  be  off." 

"  You  are  not  yourself,  yet,  Gershom,'5  returned  the 
sorrowful  wife,  "or  you  would  not  talk  in  this  way.  You 
had  better  listen  to  the  advice  of  Bourdon,  who  has  done 
so  much  for  us  already,  and  who  will  tell  you  the  way  to 
keep  out  of  Injin  clutches.  We  owe  our  lives  to  Bourdon, 
Gershom,  and  you  should  thank  him  for  it." 

Whiskey  Centre  muttered  a  few  half-intelligible  words 
of  thanks,  and  relapsed  into  his  state  of  drowsy  indiffe 
rence.  The  bee-hunter  saw,  however,  that  the  effects  of 
the  brandy  were'leaving  him,  and  he  managed  to  get  him 
on  one  side,  where  he  persuaded  the  fellow  to  strip  arid  go 
into  the  water.  The  bath  did  wonders  for  the  poor  crea 
ture,  who  soon  got  to  be  so  far  himself,  again,  as  to  be  of 
use,  instead  of  being  an  incumbrance.  When  sober,  and 
more  especially  when  sober  for  several  consecutive  days, 
Gershom  was  a  man  of  sufficient  energy,  possessing  origi 
nally  great  personal  strength  and  activity,  which  had  been 
essentially  lessened,  however,  by  his  excesses  in  liquor.  It 
has  already  been  stated  what  a  different  being  he  became, 
in  a  moral  point  of  view,  after  having  been  sober  for  any 
length  of  time. 

On  his  return  from  the  bathing,  le  Bourdon  again  joined 
the  females.  Margery  had  been  weeping ;  but  she  smiled 
in  a  friendly  way,  on  meeting  his  eye,  and  appeared  less 
anxious  for  his  departure  than  she  had  been  an  hour  before. 


THE    OAR     OPENINGS.  149 

As  the  day  advanced,  and  no  signs  of  the  savages  were 
seen,  a  sense  of  greater  security  began  to  steal  over  the 
females,  and  Margery  saw  less  necessity  for  the  departure 
of  their  new  friend.  It  was  true,  he  was  losing  a  wind ; 
but  the  lake  was  rough,  and  after  all  it  might  be  better  to 
wait.  In  short,  now  that  no  immediate  danger  was  appa 
rent,  Margery  began  to  reason  in  conformity  with  her 
wishes,  as  is  so  apt  to  be  the  case  with  the  young  and  in 
experienced.  The  bee-hunter  perceived  this  change  in  the 
deportment  of  his  fair  friend,  and  was  well  enough  disposed 
to  hope  it  would  admit  of  a  favourable  construction. 

All  this  time,  the  Chippewa  had  taken  little  visible  inte 
rest  in  the  state  of  the  party  to  which  he  had  now  attached 
himself.  The  previous  evening  had  been  fertile  in  excite 
ment  and  in  gratification,  and  he  had  since  slept  and  ate  to 
nis  entire  content.  He  was  ready  to  meet  events  as  they 
might  arise,  and  began  to  plot  the  means  of  obtaining  more 
Pottawattamie  scalps.  Let  not  the  refined  reader  feel  dis 
gust  at  this  exhibition  of  the  propensities  of  an  American 
savage.  Civilized  life  has  had,  and  still  has  very  many 
customs,  little  less  excusable  than  that  of  scalping.  With 
out  dragging  into  the  account  the  thousand  and  one  sins 
that  disgrace  and  deform  society,  it  will  be  sufficient  to 
look  into  the  single  interest  of  civilized  warfare,  in  order 
to  make  out  our  case.  In  the  first  place,  the  noblest  stra 
tegy  of  the  art  is,  to  put  the  greatest  possible  force  on  the 
least  of  the  enemy,  and  to  slay  the  weaker  party  by  the 
mere  power  of  numbers.  Then,  every  engine  that  inge 
nuity  can  invent,  is  drawn  into  the  conflict;  and  rockets, 
revolvers,  shells,  and  all  other  infernal  devices,  are  resorted 
to,  in  order  to  get  the  better  of  an  enemy  who  is  not  pro 
vided  with  such  available  means  of  destruction.  And  after 
the  battle  is  over,  each  side  commonly  claims  the  victory; 
sometimes,  because  a  partial  success  has  been  obtained  in 
a  small  portion  of  the  field ;  sometimes,  because  half  a 
dozen  horses  have  run  away  with  a  gun,  carrying  it  into 
the  hostile  ranks;  and,  again,  because  a  bit  of  rag  has 
fallen  from  the  hands  of  a  dead  man,  and  been  picked  up 
by  one  of  the  opposing  side.  How  often  has  it  happened 
that  a  belligerent,  well  practised  in  his  art,  has  kept  his 
own  colours  out  of  the  affair,  and  then  boasted  that  they 
13* 


150  THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

were  not  lost !  Now,  an  Indian  practises  no  such  shame, 
less  expedients.  His  point  of  honour  is  not  a  bit  of  rag,, 
but  a  bit  of  his  skin.  He  shaves  his  head  because  the 
hair  encumbers  him;  but  he  chivalrously  leaves  a  scalp- 
lock,  by  the  aid  of  which  his  conqueror  can  the  more  easily 
carry  away  the  coveted  trophy.  The  thought  of  cheating 
in  such  a  matter  never  occurs  to  his  unsophisticated  mind ; 
and  as  for  leaving  his  "  colours"  in  barracks,  while  he  goes 
into  the  field  himself,  he  would  disdain  it  —  nay,  cannot 
practise  it;  for  the  obvious  reason  that  his  head  would 
have  to  be  left  with  them. 

Thus  was  it  with  Pigeonswing.  He  had  made  his  toilet 
for  the  war-path,  and  was  fierce  in  his  paint,  but  honest 
and  fair-dealing  in  other  particulars.  If  he  could  terrify 
his  enemies  by  looking  like  a  skeleton,  or  a  demon,  it  was 
well ;  his  enemy  would  terrify  him,  if  possible,  by  similar 
means.  But  neither  would  dream,  or  did  dream,  of  cur 
tailing,  by  a  single  hair,  that  which  might  be  termed  the 
flag-staff  of  his  scalp.  If  the  enemy  could  seize  it,  he  was 
welcome  to  the  prize ;  but  if  he  could  seize  that  of  the 
enemy,  no  scruples  on  the  score  of  refinement,  or  delicacy, 
would  be  apt  to  interfere  with  his  movements.  It  was  in 
this  spirit,  then,  that  Pigeonswing  came  to  the  canoe,  where 
le  Bourdon  was  holding  a  little  private  discourse  with  Mar 
gery,  and  gave  utterance  to  what  was  passing  in  his  mind. 

"  Good  time,  now,  get  more  scalp,  Bourdon,"  said  the 
Chippewa,  in  his  clipping,  sententious  English. 

"It^is  a  good  time,  too,  to  keep  our  own,  Chippewa," 
was  tKe  answer.  "  Your  scalp-lock  is  too  long,  to  be  put 
before  Pottawattamie  eyes  without  good  looking  after  it." 

"Nebber  mind  him  —  if  go,  go;  if  stay,  stay.  Always 
good  for  warrior  to  bring  home  scalp." 

"  Yes ;  I  know  your  customs  in  this  respect,  Pigeons- 
wing  ;  but  ours  are  different.  We  are  satisfied  if  we  can 
keep  out  of  harm's  way,  when  we  have  our  squaws  and 
pappooses  with  us." 

"No  pappoose  here,"  returned  the  Indian,  looking  around 
him — "  dat  your  squaw,  eh?" 

The  reader  can  readily  imagine  that  this  abrupt  question 
brought  blushes  into  the  cheeks  of  pretty  Margery,  making 
her  appear  ten  times  more  handsome  than  before ;  while 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  151 

even  le  Bourdon  did  not  take  the  interrogatory  wholly  un 
disturbed.  Still,  the  latter  answered  manfully,  as  became 
his  sex. 

"  I  am  not  so  fortunate  as  to  have  a  squaw,  and  least  of 
all  to  have  this,"  said  le  Bourdon. 

"  Why  no  hab  her — she  good  squaw,"  returned  the  lite 
ral-minded  Indian — "  han'some  'nough  for  chief.  You  ask  ; 
she  hab — know  squaw  well — always  like  warrior  to  ask  him 
fuss ;  den  say,  yes." 

"Ay,  that  may  do  with  your  red-skin  squaws,"  le  Bour 
don  hastily  replied ;  for  he  saw  that  Margery  was  not  only 
distressed,  but  a  little  displeased — "  but  not  with  the  young 
women  of  the  pale-faces.  I  never  saw  Margery  before  last 
evening ;  and  it  takes  time  for  a  pale-face  girl  to  know  a 
youth." 

"  Just  so  wid  red-skin — sometime  don't  know,  till  too 
late !  See  plenty  dat,  in  wigwam." 

"  Then  it  is  very  much  in  the  wigwams  as  it  is  in  the 
houses.  I  have  heard  this  before." 

"  Why  not  same?  —  skin  make  no  difference — pale-face 
spile  squaw,  too — make  too  much  of  her." 

"  That  can  never  be !"  exclaimed  le  Bourdon,  earnestly. 
"  When  a  pretty,  modest,  warm-hearted  young  woman  ac 
cepts  a  youth  for  a  husband,  he  can  never  make  enough  of 
her !" 

On  hearing  sentiments  so  agreeable  to  a  woman's  ears, 
Margery  looked  down,  but  she  looked  pleased.  Pigeons- 
wing  viewed  the  matter  very  differently  ;  and  being  some 
what  of  a  partisan  in  matters  relating  to  domestic  economy, 
he  had  no  thought  of  leaving  a  point  of  so  much  import 
ance  in  so  bad  a  way.  Accordingly,  it  is  not  surprising 
that,  in  pursuing  the  subject,  he  expressed  opinions  in  se 
veral  essentials  diametrically  the  reverse  of  those  of  the 
bee-hunter. 

"  Easy  'nough  spile  squaw,"  rejoined  the  Chippewa. 
"  What  she  good  for,  don't  make  her  work  1  Can't  go  on 
war-path — can't  take  scalp — can't  shoot  deer — can't  hunt 
— can't  kill  warrior — so  muss  work.  Dat  what  squaw  good 
for." 

"  That  may  do  among  red  men,  but  we  pale-faces  find 
squaws  good  for  something  else — we  love  them  and  take 


i52  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

care  of  them  —  keep  them  from  the  cold  in  winter,  and 
from  the  heat  in  summer ;  and  try  to  make  them  as  com 
fortable  and  happy  as  we  can." 

"  Dat  good  talk  for  young  squaw's  ear,"  returned  the 
Chippewa,  a  little  contemptuously  as  to  manner;  though 
his  real  respect  for  the  bee-hunter,  of  whose  prowess  he 
had  so  lately  been  a  witness,  kept  him  a  little  within 
bounds — "  but  it  bess  not  take  nobody  in.  What  Injin 
say  to  squaw,  he  do — what  pale-face  say,  he  no  do." 

« Is  that  true,  Bourdon?"  demanded  Margery,  laughing 
at  the  Indian's  earnestness. 

"  1  shall  be  honest,  and  own  that  there  may  be  some 
truth  in  it  —  for  the  Injin  promises  nothing,  or  next  to 
nothing,  and  it  is  easy  to  square  accounts,  in  such  cases. 
That  white  men  undertake  more  than  they  always  perform, 
is  quite  likely  to  be  the  fact.  The  Injin  gets  his  advantage 
in  this  matter,  by  not  even  thinking  of  treating  his  wife  as 
a  woman  should  be  treated." 

"  How  should  treat  woman  ?"  put  in  Pigeonswing  with 
warmth.  "  When  warrior  eat  venison,  gib  her  rest,  eh  ? 
Dat  no  good  —  what  you  call  good,  den?  If  good  hunter 
husband,  she  get  'nought  —  if  an't  good  hunter,  she  don't 
get  'nough.  Just  so  wid  Injin  —  sometime  hungry,  some 
time  full.  Dat  way  to  live  !" 

"  Ay,  that  may  be  your  red  man's  ways,  but  it  is  not  the 
manner  in  which  we  wish  to  treat  our  wives.  Ask  pretty 
Margery,  here,  if  she  would  be  satisfied  to  wait  until  her 
husband  had  eaten  his  dinner,  and  then  come  in  for  the 
scraps.  No — no — Pigeonswing  :  we  feed  our  women  and 
children  first,  and  come  in  last,  ourselves/' 

"Dat  good  for  pappoose  —  he  little;  want  venison  — 
squaw  tough ;  use  to  wait.  Do  her  good." 

Margery  now  laughed  outright,  at  these  specimens  of 
Indian  gallantry,  which  only  too  well  embody  the  code  of 
the  red  man's  habits.  Doubtless  the  heart  has  its  influence 
among  even  the  most  savage  people,  for  nature  has  not  put 
into  our  breasts  feelings  and  passions  to  be  discarded  by 
one's  own  expedients,  or  wants.  But  no  advocate  of  the 
American  Indian  has  ever  yet  been  able  to  maintain  that 
woman  fills  her  proper  place  in  his  estimate  of  claims.  As 
for  Margery,  though  so  long  subject  to  the  whims,  passions, 


THE     OAK    OPENINGS.  153 

and  waywardness  of  a  drunkard,  she  had  reaped  many  of 
the  advantages  of  having  been  born  in  that  woman's  para 
dise,  New  England.  We  are  no  great  admirers  of  the 
legacy  left  by  the  Puritan  to  his  descendant,  taken  as  an 
inheritance  in  morals,  manners,  and  customs,  and  as  a 
whole ;  though  there  are  parts,  in  the  way  of  codicils,  that 
there  is  no  portion  of  the  Christian  world  which  might  not 
desire  to  emulate.  In  particular,  do  we  allude  to  the  esti 
mate  put  upon,  and  the  treatment  received  by  their  women. 
Our  allusion  is  not  to  the  refinements  and  gracefulness  of 
polished  intercourse;  for  of  them,  the  Blarney  Rock  of 
Plymouth  has  transmitted  but  a  meagre  account  in  the  in 
ventory,  and  perhaps  the  less  that  is  said  about  this  portion 
of  the  family  property  the  better ;  but,  dropping  a  few 
degrees  in  the  social  scale,  and  coming  down  to  the  level 
where  we  are  accustomed  to  regard  people  merely  as  men 
and  women,  we  greatly  question  if  any  other  portion  of  the 
world  can  furnish  a  parallel  to  the  manly,  considerate, 
rational  and  wisely  discriminating  care,  that  the  New  Eng 
land  husband,  as  the  rule,  bestows  on  his  wife;  the  father 
on  his  daughter ;  or  the  brother  on  his  sister.  Gershom 
was  a  living,  and,  all  things  considered,  a  remarkable  in 
stance  of  these  creditable  traits.  When  sober,  he  was  uni 
formly  kind  to  Dorothy ;  and  for  Margery  he  would  at  any 
time  risk  his  life.  The  latter,  indeed,  had  more  power 
over  him  than  his  own  wife  possessed,  and  it  was  her  will 
and  her  remonstrances  that  most  frequently  led  hirri  back 
from  the  verge  of  that  precipice  over  which  he  was  so  often 
disposed  to  cast  himself.  By  some  secret  link  she  bound 
him  closest  to  the  family  dwelling,  and  served  most  to  recall 
the  days  of  youth  and  comparative  innocence,  when  they 
dwelt  together  beneath  the  paternal  roof,  and  were  equally 
the  objects  of  the  affection  and  solicitude  of  the  same  kind 
mother.  His  attachment  to  Dorothy  was  sincere,  and,  for 
one  so  often  brutalized  by  drink,  steady;  but  Dorothy 
could  not  carry  him  as  far  back,  in  recollections,  as  the 
one  only  sister  who  had  passed  the  morning  of  life  with 
him,  in  the  same  homely  but  comfortable  abode. 

We  have  no  disposition  to  exaggerate  the  character  of 
those  whom  it  is  the  fashion  to  term  the  American  yeomen, 
though  why  such  an  appellation  should  be  applied  to  any 


154  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

in  a  state  of  society  to  which  legal  distinctions  are  un 
known,  is  what  we  could  never  understand.  There  are 
no  more  of  Esquires  and  Yeomen  in  this  country  than  there 
are  of  Knights  and  Nobles,  though  the  quiet  manner  in 
which  the  transition  from  the  old  to  the  new  state  of  things 
has  been  made,  has  not  rendered  the  public  mind  very  sen 
sible  to  the  changes.  But,  recurring  to  the  class,  which 
is  a  positive  thing  and  consequently  ought  to  have  a  name 
of  some  sort  or  other,  we  do  not  belong  to  those  that  can 
sound  its  praises  without  some  large  reservations  on  the 
score  of  both  principles  and  manners.  Least  of  all,  are  we 
disposed  to  set  up  these  yeomen  as  a  privileged  class,  like 
certain  of  the  titular  statesmen  of  the  country,  and  fall 
down  and  worship  a  calf — not  a  golden  one  by  the  way — 
of  our  own  setting  up.  We  can  see  citizens  in  these  yeo 
men,  but  not  princes,  who  are  to  be  especially  favoured  by 
laws  made  to  take  from  others  to  bestow  on  them.  But, 
making  allowances  for  human  infirmities,  the  American 
freeholder  belongs  to  a  class  that  may  justly  hold  up  its 
head  among  the  tillers  of  the  earth.  He  improves  daily, 
under  the  influence  of  beneficent  laws,  and  if  he  don't  get 
spoiled,  of  which  there  is  some  danger,  in  the  eagerness 
of  factions  to  secure  his  favour,  and  through  that  favour 
his  vote, — if  he  escape  this  danger,  he  will  ere  long  make 
a  reasonably  near  approach  to  that  being,  which  the  tongue 
of  the  flatterer  would  long  since  have  persuaded  him  he  had 
already  more  than  got  to  be. 

To  one  accustomed  to  be  treated  kindly,  as  was  the  case 
with  Margery,  the  Chippewa's  theory  for  the  management 
of  squaws  contained  much  to  excite  her  mirth,  as  well  as 
her  resentment,  as  she  now  made  apparent  by  her  remarks. 

"  You  do  not  deserve  to  have  a  wife,  Pigeonswing,"  she 
cried,  half-laughing,  yet  evidently  alive  to  the  feelings  of 
her  sex  —  "  can  have  no  gratitude  for  a  wife's  tenderness 
and  care.  I  wonder  that  a  Chippewa  girl  can  be  found  to 
have  you !" 

"  Don't  want  him,"  coolly  returned  the  Indian,  making 
his  preparations  to  light  his  pipe  —  "got  Winnebagoe 
squaw,  already ;  good  'nough  for  me.  Shoot  her  t'other 
husband  and  take  his  scalp  —  den  she  come  into  my  wig* 
warn." 


THE     OAK    OPENINGS.  155 

"The  wretch!"  exclaimed  Margery. 

But  this  was  a  word  the  savage  did  not  understand,  and 
he  continued  to  puff  at  the  newly  lighted  tobacco,  with  all 
of  a  smoker's  zeal.  When  the  fire  was  secured,  he  found 
time  to  continue  the  subject. 

"Yes,  dat  good  war-path  —  got  rifle;  got  wife;  got  two 
scalp !  Don't  do  so  well,  ebbery  day." 

"  And  that  woman  hoes  your  corn,  and  cooks  your  veni 
son?"  demanded  the  bee-hunter. 

"  Sartain — capital  good  to  hoe — no  good  to  cook — make 
deer  meat  too  dry.  Want  to  be  made  to  mind  business. 
Bye'm  by  teach  him.  No  1'arn  all  at  once,  like  pale-face 
pappoose  in  school." 

"  Pigeonswing,  have  you  never  observed  the  manner  in 
which  the  white  man  treats  his  squaw?" 

"  Sartain — see  him  make  much  of  her — put  her  in  warm 
corner  —  wrap  blanket  round  her — give  her  venison  'fore 
he  eat  himself — see  all  dat,  often — what  den?  Dat  don't 
make  it  right." 

"  I  give  you  up,  Chippewa,  and  agree  with  Margery  in 
thinking  you  ought  not  to  have  a  squaw,  at  all." 

"  T'ink  alike  den — why  no  get  marry  ?"  asked  the  Indian, 
without  circumlocution. 

Margery's  face  became  red  as  fire;  then  her  cheeks 
settled  into  the  colour  of  roses,  and  she  looked  down, 
embarrassed.  The  bee-hunter's  admiration  was  very  appa 
rent  to  the  Indian,  though  the  girl  did  not  dare  to  raise 
her  eyes  from  the  ground,  and  so  did  not  take  heed  of  it. 
$ut,  this  gossipping  was  suddenly  brought  to  an  end  by  a 
most  unexpected  cause  of  interruption ;  the  manner  and 
form  of  which  it  shall  be  our  office  to  relate,  in  the  suc 
ceeding  chapter. 


156  THE    OAK    OPENINGS 


CHAPTER  XI. 

So  should  it  be — for  no  heart  beat* 

Within  his  cold  and  silent  breast; 
To  him  no  gentle  voice  repeats 

The  soothing  words  that  make  us  blest. 

PEABODT. 

THE  interruption  came  from  Dorothy,  who,  on  asceud- 
ing  the  little  height,  had  discovered  a  canoe  coming  into 
the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  who  was  running,  breathless 
with  haste,  to  announce  the  circumstance  to  the  bee-hunter. 
The  latter  immediately  repaired  to  the  eminence,  and  saw 
for  himself  the  object  that  so  justly  had  alarmed  the  woman, 

The  canoe  was  coming  in  from  the  lake,  after  running 
before  the  wind,  which  now  began  to  abate  a  Httle  in  its 
strength,  and  it  evidently  had  been  endeavouring  to  pro 
ceed  to  the  northward.  The  reason  for  its  entering  the 
river,  was  probably  connected  with  the  cookery  or  food  of 
the  party,  since  the  lake  was  each  minute  getting  to  be 
safer,  and  more  navigable  for  so  light  a  craft.  To  le 
Bourdon's  great  apprehension,  he  saw  the  savages  on  the 
north  shore  making  signals  to  this  strange  canoe,  by  means 
of  smoke,  and  he  foresaw  the  probability  of  his  enemies 
obtaining  the  means  of  crossing  the  stream,  should  the 
strangers  proceed  in  the  desired  direction.  To  counteract 
this  design,  he  ran  down,  to  a  spot  on  the  beach  where 
there  was  no  rice-plant,  and  showing  himself  to  the  stran 
gers,  invited  them  to  land  on  the  south  side,  which  was 
much  the  nearest,  and  in  other  visible  respects  quite  as 
convenient  as  the  opposite  bank  of  the  river.  One  of  the 
strangers  soon  made  a  gesture  with  an  arm,  implying 
assent,  and  the  bows  of  this  strange  canoe  were  imme 
diately  turned  toward  the  spot  where  the  bee-hunter  stood. 

As  the  canoe  drew  near,  the  whole  party,  including 
^igeonswing,  came  to  the  margin*  of  the  water  to  receive 
the  strangers.  Of  the  last,  there-  were  three;  one  paddling 
at  each  end  of  the  light  bark.,  and  a  third  seated  in  its 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS,  157 

centre,  doing  nothing.  As  the  bee-hunter  had  his  glass, 
with  which  he  examined  these  visitors,  he  was  soon  ques 
tioned  by  his  companions  concerning  their  character  and 
apparent  purposes. 

"Who  are  they,  Bourdon?"  demanded  the  impatient 
Margery, — "  and  why  do  they  come  here?" 

"  The  last  is  a  question  they  must  answer  for  themselves, 
but  the  person  paddling  in  the  bows  of  the  canoe  seems  to 
be  a  white  man,  and  a  soldier — or  a  half-soldier,  if  one 
may  judge  from  his  dress.  The  man  in  the  middle  of  the 
canoe  is  white,  also.  This  last  fellow  seems  to  be  a  par 
son — yes,  he  is  a  clergyman,  though  pretty  well  used  up 
in  the  wilderness,  as  to  dress.  The  third  man  is  a  red 
skin,  beyond  all  doubt." 

"A  clergyman  !"  repeated  Margery,  in  surprise.  "  What 
should  a  clergyman  be  doing  here  ?" 

"  There  are  missionaries  scattered  about  among  the 
savages,  I  suppose  you  know,  and  this  is  probably  one  of 
them.  A  body  can  tell  one  of  these  parsons  by  his  out 
side,  as  far  as  he  can  see  him.  The  poor  man  has  heard 
of  the  war,  most  likely,  and  is  trying  to  get  back  into  the 
settlements,  while  his  scalp  is  safe  on  his  head." 

"Don't  hurt  him,"  put  in  the  Chippewa,  pointedly. 
"Know  mean  well  —  talk  about  Great  Spirit  —  Injin  don't 
scalp  sich  medicine-men  —  if  don't  mind  what  he  say,  no 
good  to  take  his  scalp." 

"I'm  glad  to  hear  this,  Pigeonswing,  for  I  had  begun 
to  think  no  man's  scalp  was  safe  under  your  fingers.  But 
what  can  the  so'ger  be  doing  down  this  a-way?  A  body 
would  think  there  was  business  enough  for  all  the  so'gers 
up  at  the  garrison,  at  the  head  of  the  lake.  By  the  way, 
Pigeonswing,  what  has  become  of  your  letter  to  the  cap 
tain  at  Fort  Dearborn,  to  let  him  know  of  the  war?" 

"  Chaw  him  up,  like  so  much  'baccy,"  answered  the 
Chippewa  —  "yes,  chaw  him  up,  lest  Pottawattamie  get 
hold  on  him,  and  ask  one  of  King  George's  men  to  read 
him.  No  good  to  hab  letter  in  sich  times." 

"  The  general  who  employed  you  to  carry  that  letter, 
will  scarce  thank  you  for  your  care." 

"Yes  he  do — t'ank  all  same  —  pay  all  same  —  letter  no 
use,  now." 

14 


158  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

"How  can  you  know  that?  The  letter  might  be  the 
means  of  preventing  the  garrison  from  falling  into  the 
enemy's  hands." 

"  Got  dere,  already.  Garrison  all  kill,  scalp,  or  pris'ner. 
Pottawattamie  talk  tell  me  dat." 

"Is  this  possible!  Mackinaw  and  Chicago  both  gone, 
already !  John  Bull  must  have  been  at  work  among  the 
savages  a  long  time,  to  get  them  into  this  state  of  readi 
ness!" 

"  Sartain  —  work  long  as  can  'member.  Alway  some 
body  talkin'  for  Great  Montreal  Fadder  among  red  men." 

"  It  must  be  as  you  say,  Chippewa — but,  here  are  our 
visitors — let  us  see  what  we  can  make  of  them." 

By  this  time,  the  canoe  was  so  near  as  to  render  it  easy 
to  distinguish  countenances  and  dress,  without  the  aid  of 
the  glass — so  near,  indeed,  that  a  swift-moving  boat,  like 
the  canoe,  might  be  expected  soon  to  reach  the  shore. 
The  truth  of  the  observation  of  the  bee-hunter  was  con 
firmed,  as  the  strangers  approached.  The  individual  in 
the  bows  of  the  canoe  was  clearly  a  soldier,  in  a  fatigue 
dress,  and  the  musket  between  his  legs  was  one  of  those 
pieces  that  government  furnishes  to  the  troops  of  the  line. 
The  man  in  the  middle  of  the  boat  could  no  more  be  mis 
taken  than  he  in  its  bows.  Each  might  be  said  to  be  in 
uniform;  —  the  well-worn,  nay,  almost  thread-bare  black 
coat  of  the  "  minister,"  as  much  denoting  him  to  be  a  man 
of  peace,  as  the  fatigue-jacket  and  cap  on  the  person  of 
his  hard-featured  and  weather-beaten  companion  indicated 
that  the  last  was  a  man  of  war.  As  for  the  red  man, 
Pigeonswing  declared  that  he  could  not  yet  tell  his  tribe, 
though  there  was  that  about  his  air,  attire  and  carriage, 
that  proclaimed  him  a  chief — and,  as  the  Chippewa  fan 
cied,  a  chief  of  note.  In  another  minute,  the  bows  of  the 
light  craft  grated  gently  on  the  shingle  of  the  beach. 

"  Sago,  sago,"  said  the  soldier,  rising  to  step  ashore — 
"  sago  all,  friends,  and  I  hope  we  come  to  a  welcome 
camp." 

"  You  are  welcome,"  returned  the  bee-hunter.  "  Wel 
come  as  strangers  met  in  the  wilderness,  but  more  wel 
come,  as  I  see  by  your  dress  that  you  are  a  veteran  of  one 
of  Uncle  Sam's  regiments." 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  159 

"  Quite  true,  Mr.  Bee-hunter ;  for  such  I  see  is  your 
callin',  by  the  honey  vessel  and  glass  you  carry,  and  by  the 
other  signs  about  you.  We  are  travelling  towards  Macki 
naw,  and  hope  to  fare  as  friends,  while  we  stay  in  your 
good  company." 

"  In  going  to  Mackinaw,  do  you  expect  to  meet  with  an 
American,  or  an  English  garrison  V 

11  One  of  our  own,  to  be  sure,"  returned  the  soldier,  look 
ing  up  from  his  work,  like  one  struck  by  the  question. 

"  Mackinaw  has  fallen,  and  is  now  an  English  post,  as 
well  as  Chicago." 

"This,  then,  must  alter  our  plans,  Mr.  Amen!"  ex 
claimed  the  soldier,  addressing  the  minister.  "  If  the 
enemy  has  Mackinaw,  it  will  not  do  for  us  to  trust  our 
selves  on  the  island." 

"  Amen"  was  not  the  real  name  of  the  missionary ;  but 
it  was  a  sobriquet  bestowed  by  the  soldiers,  on  account  of 
the  unction  with  which  this  particular  word  was  ordinarily 
pronounced,  and  quite  likely,  too,  because  it  was  the  word 
of  all  others  most  pleasant  to  their  ears,  after  a  sermon,  or 
a  prayer.  It  had,  by  long  use,  got  to  be  so  familiar,  that 
the  men  did  not  scruple  to  use  it  to  the  good  man's  face. 
This  missionary  was  a  Methodist;  a  sect  that  possessed, 
in  that  day,  very  few  clergymen  of  education,  most  of  its 
divines  coming  of  a  class  in  life  that  did  not  predispose 
them  to  take  oifence  at  light  invasions  on  their  dignity, 
and  whose  zeal  and  habitual  self-denial  had  schooled  them 
into  a  submission  to  far  more  positive  personal  privations, 
than  any  connected  with  the  mere  tongue.  That  there  are 
"  wolves  in  sheep's  clothing"  among  the  Methodists,  as 
well  as  among  the  other  religious  sects  of  the  country,  our 
daily  experience  shows;  but  the  mind  must  be  sadly  in 
clined  to  believe  evil  of  others  which  does  not  see,  in  the 
humble  and  untiring  efforts  of  this  particular  sect  of  Chris 
tians,  more  than  mere  fanaticism  or  hypocrisy  can  produce. 

"You  are  right,  corporal,"  returned  the  missionary; 
"  since  this  is  the  case,  I  see  no  better  course  for  us  to 
pursue,  than  to  put  ourselves  altogether  in  the  hands  of 
Onoah.  He  has  counselled  us  well,  hitherto,  and  will  do 
better  by  us  than  any  other  guide  to  be  found,  out  in  this 
wilderness." 


160  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

Le  Bourdon  could  scarce  trust  his  sense  of  hearing! 
Onoah  was  the  Indian  appellation  of  the  terrible  and  much 
dreaded  savage  who,  in  English,  went  by  the  name  of 
Scalping  Peter,  or  "  Scalping  Pete,"  among  all  the  white 
dwellers  on  that  frontier,  and  at  all  the  garrisons  of  the 
Americans,  far  and  near.  The  Indian  name,  indeed,  was 
said  to  mean  "scalp,"  in  several  of  the  dialects  of  the 
Iroquois.  Perhaps  it  may  be  well,  also,  to  explain  here, 
that  the  term  "  garrison"  did  not  imply,  in  the  language  of 
that  region,  the  troops  only  who  garrisoned  a  post,  but  it 
was  even  oftener  applied  to  the  post  itself,  than  to  those 
who  held  it.  Thus  old,  empty,  and  deserted  forts,  those 
that  have  actually  been  abandoned,  and  are  devoted  to  de 
cay,  are  almost  universally  styled  the  "  garrisons,"  even 
though  a  soldier  had  not  put  foot  in  them  for  a  quarter  of 
a  century.  This  is  one  of  the  proofs  of  the  convertible 
nature  of  our  language,  of  which  the  country  affords  so 
many,  and  which  has  changed  the  smaller  sized  "  rivers" 
into  "  creeks,"  "  lakes"  into  "  ponds,"  "  squares"  into 
"  parks,"  public  promenades  on  the  water  into  "  batteries ;" 
to  all  of  which  innovations,  bad  as  they  may  be,  and  useless 
and  uncalled  for,  and  wanton  as  they  are,  we  are  much 
more  willing  to  submit,  than  to  the  new-fangled  and  lub 
berly  abomination  of  saying  "  on  a  steamboat,"  or  "  on  a 
ship." 

While  le  Bourdon  was  so  much  astounded  at  hearing  the 
terrible  name  of  Onoah,  which  was  familiar  enough  to  him, 
neither  of  his  white  companions  betrayed  any  emotion. 
Had  the  Indian  been  termed  "  Scalping  Peter,"  it  is  pro 
bable  that  both  Dorothy  and  Margery  would  have  screamed, 
if  not  actually  fled ;  but  they  knew  nothing  of  the  appella 
tion  that  was  given  to  this  mysterious  chief,  in  the  language 
of  the  red  men.  To  this  circumstance,  therefore,  was  it 
owing  that  the  utterance  of  his  name  did  not  produce  a 
general  commotion.  The  bee-hunter  observed,  neverthe 
less,  a  great  change  in  the  demeanour  of  the  Chippewa, 
the  instant  the  missionary  had  uttered  the  ominous  word, 
though  he  did  not  seem  to  be  alarmed.  On  the  contrary, 
Boden  fancied  that  his  friend,  Pigeonswing,  was  pleased, 
rather  than  terrified,  at  ascertaining  the  character  of  their 
visitor,  though  he  no  longer  put  himself  forward,  as  had 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  161 

been  the  case  previously  ;  and  from  that  moment  the  young 
warrior  appeared  to  carry  himself  in  a  more  subdued  and 
less  confident  manner  than  was  his  wont.  This  unexpected 
demeanour  on  the  part  of  his  friend,  somewhat  confounded 
le  Bourdon,  though  it  in  a  degree  relieved  his  apprehensions 
of  any  immediate  danger.  All  this  time,  the  conversation 
between  the  missionary  and  the  corporal  went  on  in  as 
quiet  and  composed  a  manner,  as  if  each  saw  no  ground 
for  any  other  uneasiness  than  that  connected  with  the  falS 
of  Mackinaw. 

"  Yes,  sir,"  returned  the  soldier,  "  Onoah  is  a  good 
guide,  and  a  great  hand  at  a  council-fire ;  but  these  is  war 
times,  and  we  must  stand  to  our  arms,  each  accordin'  tc 
his  edication  and  temper  —  you,  sir,  with  preachin'  and 
prayin',  and  I  with  gun  and  baggonet." 

"  Ah!  corporal,  the  preaching  and  praying  would  be  of 
quite  as  much  account  with  you  men  of  war,  as  your  arms 
and  ammunition,  if  you  could  only  be  made  to  think  so. 
Look  at  Fort  Dearborn !  It  was  defended  by  human 
means,  having  its  armed  band,  and  its  guns  and  swords, 
and  captains  and  corporals ;  yet  you  have  seen  their  pride 
lowered,  their  means  of  defence  destroyed,  and  a  large  part 
of  your  comrades  massacred.  All  this  has  been  done  to 
armed  men,  while  the  Lord  has  brought  me,  an  unarmed 
and  humble  teacher  of  his  word,  safely  out  of  the  hands  of 
the  Philistines, 'and  placed  me  here  in  safety,  on  the  shores 
of  the  Kalamazoo." 

"  For  that  matter,  Mr.  Amen,  the  Lord  has  done  the 
same  by  me,  with  a  musket  on  my  shoulder  and  a  baggonet 
by  my  side,"  returned  the  literal  corporal.  "  Preachin' 
may  be  good  on  some  marches ;  but  arms  and  ammunition 
answers  well  enough  on  others.  Hearken  to  the  Hebrew, 
who  knows  all  the  ways  of  the  wilderness,  and  see  if  he 
don't  give  you  the  same  opinion." 

"  The  Hebrew  is  one  of  the  discarded  of  the  Lord,  as  he 
is  one  chosen  of  the  Lord  !"  returned  the  missionary.  "  1 
agree  with  you,  however,  that  he  is  as  safe  an  adviser,  for 
a  human  adviser,  as  can  be  easily  found ;  therefore  will  I 
consult  him.  Child  of  the  seed  of  Abraham,"  he  added, 
turning  to  Onoah,  "  thou  hast  heard  the  tidings  from 
Mackinaw ;  we  cannot  think,  any  longer,  of  pursuing  our 
14* 


162  THE     OAK    OPENINGS. 

journey  in  that  direction ;  whither,  then,  wouldst  thou  ad 
vise  that  we  shall  direct  our  steps?  I  ask  this  question  of 
thee  first,  as  an  experienced  and  sagacious  dweller  in  the 
wilderness :  at  a  more  fitting  time,  I  intend  to  turn  to  the 
Lord,  and  seek  divine  aid  for  the  direction  of  our  footsteps.'' 

"  Ay,"  observed  the  corporal,  who  entertained  a  good 
deal  of  respect  for  the  zealous,  but  slightly  fanatical  mis 
sionary,  though  he  believed  an  Indian  was  always  safe  to 
consult  in  matters  of  this  sort,  "try  both  —  if  one  staff 
should  fail,  it  may  be  well  to  have  another  to  lean  on.  A 
good  soldier  always  keeps  a  part  of  his  troops  for  a  resarve. 
I  remember  when  Mad  Anthony  gave  the  command  to 
charge  the  inemy,  at  the  Mawmee,  we  was  all  for  going 
forward  like  so  many  furious  devils,  but  the  old  man 
said,  '  No ;  keep  them  men  in  resarve,'  he  said,  '  for  no 
one  knows  when  his  flank  may  be  turned,  or  he  may  catch 
a  volley  from  his  rear.'  Well,  what  does  Onoah  tell  you, 
Mr.  Amen?" 

By  this  time  the  strange  Indian  had  landed,  thus  giving 
le  Bourdon  an  opportunity  of  examining  his.  person  and 
attire  more  closely  than  he  had  hitherto  done.  This  re 
nowned  savage — renowned,  as  fame  is  regarded  on  a  fron 
tier,  where  the  posts  of  the  whites  were  then  a  hundred 
leagues  asunder — was  in  the  summer-dress  of  the  woods, 
and  any  one  acquainted  with  the  customs  of  the  North 
American  Indian  could  at  once  perceive  that  he  bore  on 
his  person  the  symbols  of  authority  and  rank.  The  insig 
nia  of  the  Golden  Fleece,  or  of  the  Saint  Esprit,  are  not 
more  infallible  evidences  of  high  personal  degree  among 
the  nobles  of  Europe,  than  were  the  emblems  borne  by  this 
savage,  of  his  consideration  among  the  people  of  his  colour 
and  origin,  along  the  shores  of  those  wild  and  inland  seas 
of  fresh  water,  which  then  were  seldom  ploughed  by  a  keel ; 
which  have  since  got  to  be  familiar  with  the  steamer,  the 
propeller,  brig,  ship,  and  schooner;  and  which,  ere  the 
close  of  the  present  century,  will,  in  all  probability,  be 
whitened,  like  the  Mediterranean,  with  the  canvass  of  the 
thousand  craft  that  will  be  required  for  the  navigation  of 
their  borders.*  Around  his  neck  Onoah  wore  what  might 

*  In  crossing  lake  Erie,  within  the  last  few  months,  the  writer,  in 
a  run  of  twenty-four  hours,  counted  no  less  than  sixty-three  vessels, 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  163 

be  termed  a  gorget  of  tubes,  made  of  the  red  pipe-stone  of 
the  west,  and  which  were  carved  and  wrought  with  care, 
if  not  with  much  skill.  Above  this  he  had  a  rude  repre 
sentation  of  a  rattlesnake  drawn  on  his  breast  with  yellow 
paint.  This  was  understood  to  be  the  "  tolem,"  or  "  arms," 
of  his  tribe;  though  what  that  tribe  was,  where  it  dwelt, 
or  whence  it  came,  it  was  commonly  believed  among  both 
the  red-skins  and  pale-faces  of  the  region,  no  one  but  him 
self  knew.  On  a  small  silver  medal  that  was  suspended 
above  the  gorget  was  stamped  the  image  of  that  cross  on 
which  the  Son  of  God,  in  his  human  character,  suffered 
death  for  the  redemption  of  men.  It  would  seem  that  this 
savage,  keen,  sharp-witted,  and  observant  as  he  was,  though 
not  a  believer  in  the  doctrines  inculcated  by  the  Bible,  had 
none  of  that  holy  horror  of  this  sacred  emblem  that  so 
singularly  besets  the  imaginations  of  many  who  profess  to 
place  all  their  hopes  of  salvation  on  the  sacrifice  that  was 
made  on  its  great  original.  He  wore  an  ancient  medal  of 
the  Jesuits,  one  that  had  passed  through  generations  of  his 
family,  as  a  political  rather  than  as  a  religious  symbol, 
though  perfectly  aware  of  the  spirit  in  which  it  had  been 
first  bestowed.  He  probably  saw  that  the  cross  was  re 
vered  by  one  class  of  missionaries,  while  another  scarce 
endeavoured  to  conceal  their  distaste  for  it,  a  circumstance 
that  might  have  confounded  a  neophyte  of  less  acuteness 

than  himself.* 

met,  overtaken,  and  seen.  He  remembers  that  water,  in  the  first 
ten  years  of  the  present  century,  when  a  single  sail  was  an  object 
of  interest  and  curiosity.  The  change  must  have  been  witnessed 
to  be  appreciated. 

*  In  the  times  of  the  crusades,  the  cross  was  adopted  as  an  em 
blem  of  general  use.  All  the  castles  arid  churches  were  adorned 
with  this  touching  memorial  of  the  origin  of  the  Christian  faith,  in 
beautiful  commemoration  of  the  price  paid  for  human  salvation, 
Apertures  were  made  for  the  windows,  and  a  stone  cross  was 
erected  in  each,  whence  the  French  term  of  « croisce.'  The  same 
thing  was  done  for  the  doors,  which,  by  /emovjng  the  panels, 
would  be  found  to  contain  so  many  crosses.  This  last  custom  be 
came  general,  and  a  cross,  or  crosses,  are  to  be  found  at  this  very 
hour  in  nearly  every  old  panelled  door  in  the  country,  even  to 
the  humblest  dwellings  of  the  descendants  of  the  Puritans  and 
Quakers.  Ignorance  preserved  the  emblems  at  the  very  moment 
these  pious  and  critical  saints  were  throwing  aside  gowns  and  cas 


164  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

Beneath  the  rattlesnake,  or  "tolem"  of  his  tribe,  Onoah 
had  rudely  drawn  an  expanded  hand,  in  that  attitude  which 
denotes  caution,  or  "  beware."  This  might  be  termed  the 
motto  of  his  coat  of  arms;  the  " gare  a  qui  la  touche,'' 
or  "  noli  me  tangere,"  of  his  device. 

The  head  was  shaved,  as  is  usual  with  a  warrior,  carry- 
ing  only  the  chivalrous  scalp-lock,  but  the  chief  was  not 
in  his  paint.  The  outline  of  this  celebrated  savage's  fea 
tures  was  bold  and  eagle-like ;  a  comparison  that  his  steady, 
calm,  piercing  eye  well  sustained.  The  chin  was  full  and 
expanded,  the  lips  compressed  and  firm,  the  teeth  were 
short,  but  even  and  sound,  his  smile  courteous,  and,  at 
times,  winning. 

In  the  way  of  attire,  Onoah  was  simply  dressed,  con 
suiting  the  season  and  his  journey.  He  hacrft  single  eagle's 
feather  attached  to  the  scalp-lock,  and  wore  a  belt  of  wam 
pum  of  more  than  usual  value,  beneath  which  he  had 
thrust  his  knife  and  tomahawk  ;  a  light,  figured,  and  fringed 
hunting-shirt  of  cotton  covered  his  body,  while  leggings  of 
deer-skin,  with  a  plain  moccasin  of  similar  material,  rose 
to  his  knee.  The  latter,  with  the  lower  part  of  a  stout 
sinewy  thigh,  was  bare.  He  also  carried  a  horn  and 
pouch,  and  a  rifle  of  the  American  rather  than  of  the  mili 
tary  fashion  —  that  is,  one  long,  true,  and  sighted  to  the 
deviation  of  a  hair. 

On  landing,  Peter  (for  so  he  was  generally  called  by  the 
whites,  when  in  courtesy  they  omitted  the  prefix  of  "  scalp 
ing")  courteously  saluted  the  party  assembled  around  the 
bow  of  the  canoe.  This  he  did  with  a  grave  countenance, 
like  a  true  American,  but  in  simple  sincerity,  so  far  as 
human  eye  could  penetrate  his  secret  feelings.  To  each 

socks,  church  music  and  kneeling,  along  with  everything  else  that, 
by  the  perversity  of  human  ingenuity,  could  be  made  to  appear  con 
nected,  in  the  remotest  degree,  with  the  simplicity  of  human  faith. 
There  is  something  amusing  in  finding  these  quiet  little  material 
emblems  of  the  crucifixion  entrenching  themselves  in  the  very 
bed-rooms  and  "cupboards"  (to  use  the  vernacular)  of 'the  saints,' 
par  excellence,  at  the  precise  period  when  not  only  their  voices,  but 
their  hands  were  raised  to  dislodge  them  from  that  most  appro 
priate  of  all  positions,  the  summit  of  the  church-spire — that  "silent 
iinger  pointing  to  the  skies" — in  order  to  put  (still  in  honour  of  the 
vernacular)  a  "  rooster"  in  its  stead ! 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  165 

man  he  offered  his  hand,  glancing  merely  at  the  two  females; 
though  it  may  be  questioned  if  he  ever  before  had  looked 
upon  so  perfect  a  picture  of  female  loveliness  as  Margery 
at  that  precise  instant  presented,  with  her  face  flushed  with 
excitement,  her  spirited  blue  eye  wandering  with  curiosity, 
and  her  beautiful  mouth  slightly  parted  in  admiration. 

"  Sago,  sago  I"  said  Peter,  in  his  deep,  guttural  enuncia 
tion,  speaking  reasonably  good  English.  "  Sago,  sago  all, 
ole  and  young,  friend  come  to  see  you,  and  eat  in  your 
wigwam — which  head-chief,  eh?" 

"  We  have  neither  wigwam  nor  chief  here,"  answered 
le  Bourdon,  though  he  almost  shrunk  from  taking  the  hand 
of  one  of  whom  he  had  heard  the  tales  of  which  this  savage 
had  been  the  hero ;  "  we  are  common  people,  and  have  no 
one  among  us  who  holds  the  States'  commission.  I  live 
by  taking  honey,  of  which  you  are  welcome  to  all  you  can 
want,  and  this  man  is  a  helper  of  the  suttlers  at  the  garri 
sons.  He  was  travelling  south  to  join  the  troops  at  the 
head  of  the  lake,  and  I  was  going  north  to  Mackinaw,  on 
my  way  in,  towards  the  settlements." 

"Why  is  my  brother  in  such  haste?"  demanded  Peter, 
mildly.  "  Bees  get  tired  of  making  honey?" 

"The  times  are  troubled,  and  the  red  men  have  dug  up 
the  hatchet ;  a  pale-face  cannot  tell  when  his  wigwam  is 
safe." 

"Where  my  brodder  wigwam?"  asked  Peter,  looking 
warily  around  him.  "See  he  an't  here;  where  is  he?" 

"  Over  in  the  openings,  far  up  the  Kalamazoo.  We  left 
it  last  week,  and  had  got  to  the  hut  on  the  other  shore, 
when  a  party  of  Pottawattamies  came  in  from  the  lake,  and 
drove  us  over  here  for  safety." 

On  hearing  this,  Peter  turned  slowly  to  the  missionary, 
raising  a  finger  as  one  makes  a  gesture  to  give  emphasis  to 
his  words. 

"  Tole  you  so,"  said  the  Indian.  "  Know  dere  was  Pot- 
tawattamie  dere.  Can  tell  'em  great  way  off." 

"  We  fear  them,  having  women  in  our  party,"  added  the 
bee-hunter,  "  and  think  they  might  fancy  our  scalps." 

"  Dat  like  enough;  all  Injin  love  scalp  in  war-time.  You 
Yankee,  dey  Br'ish;  can't  travel  on  same  path  now,  and  not 
quarrel.  Muss  not  let  Pottawattamie  catch  you." 


166  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

"  How  are  we  to  help  it,  now  you  have  come  in.  We 
had  all  the  canoes  on  this  side  of  the  river,  and  were  pretty 
safe,  but  should  you  cross  and  place  your  canoe  in  their 
hands,  there  is  nothing  to  prevent  them  from  doing  what 
they  please  with  us.  If  you  will  promise  riot  to  cross  the 
river  till  we  can  get  out  well  on  the  lake,  we  may  shift  our 
ground,  however,  and  leave  no  trail." 

"  Muss  cross  over — yes,  muss  cross  over,  else  Pottawat- 
tamie  t'ink  it  strange — yes,  muss  cross  over.  Shan't  touch 
canoe,  dough." 

"  How  can  you  help  it,  if  they  be  so  minded  ?  You  are 
but  a  single  man,  and  they  are  twenty?" 

On  hearing  this,  Corporal  Flint  pricked  up  his  ears,  and 
stood  if  possible  more  erect  than  ever,  for  he  considered 
himself  a  part  of  a  man  at  least,  and  one  moreover  who 
had  served  in  all  the  wars  of  the  west,  from  the  great  battle 
of  St.  Clair  to  that  of  Mad  Anthony.  He  was  spared  the 
necessity  of  a  reply,  however,  for  Peter  made  a  significant 
gesture  which  as  much  as  told  him  that  he  would  take  that 
office  on  himself. 

"No  need  be  afeard,"  said  Peter,  quietly.  "KnowPot- 
tawattamie — know  all  chief.  Nobody  touch  canoe  of  Onoah 
when  he  say  don't  touch  him." 

"  Yet  they  are  Injins  of  the  British,  and  I  see  you  here 
in  company  with  a  soldier  of  Uncle  Sam." 

"  No  matter;  Onoah  go  just  where  he  please.  Sometime 
to  Pottawattamie ;  sometime  to  Iroquois.  All  Ojebways 
know  Onoah.  All  Six  Nation  know  him  well.  All  Injin 
know  him.  Even  Cherokee  know  him  now,  and  open 
ears  when  he  speak.  Muss  cross  river,  and  shake  hand 
with  Crowsfeather." 

There  was  nothing  boastful,  or  vaunting,  in  Peter's  man 
ner  while  he  thus  announced  his  immunity  or  power,  but 
he  alluded  to  it  in  a  quiet,  natural  way,  like  one  accus 
tomed  to  being  considered  a  personage  of  consequence. 
Mankind,  in  general,  make  few  allowances  for  the  influ 
ence  of  habit;  the  sensibilities  of  the  vain-glorious  them 
selves  being  quite  as  often  wounded  by  the  most  natural 
and  direct  allusions  of  those  who  enjoy  advantages  superior 
to  their  own,  as  by  those  that  are  intended  to  provoke  com 
parisons.  In  the  present  instance,  however,  no  such  feeling 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  167 

could  exist,  the  Indian  asserting  no  more  than  his  extended 
reputation  would  fully  maintain. 

When  Peter  had  thus  expressed  himself,  the  missionary 
thought  it  meet  to  add  a  few  words  in  explanation.  This 
he  did,  however,  aside,  walking  a  little  apart  with  the  bee- 
hunter,  in  order  so  to  do.  As  for  Gershom,  no  one  seemed 
to  think  him  of  sufficient  importance  to  throw  away  any 
interest  of  care  on  him. 

"  You  can  trust  to  Peter,  friend  bee-hunter,"  the  mis 
sionary  observed,  "for  what  he  promises  he  will  perform. 
I  know  him  well,  and  have  put  myself  altogether  in  his 
hands.  If  he  says  that  the  Pottawattamies  are  not  to  have 
his  canoe,  the  Pottawattamies  will  not  get  it.  He  is  a  man 
to  be  depended  on." 

"  Is  not  this,  then,  Scalping  Peter,  who  bears  so  terrible 
a  name  on  all  this  frontier?"  demanded  le  Bourdon. 

"  The  same ;  but  do  not  disturb  yourself  with  names : 
they  hurt  no  one,  and  will  soon  be  forgotten.  A  descend 
ant  of  Abraham,  and  of  Isaac,  and  of  Jacob,  is  not  placed 
in  this  wilderness  by  the  hand  of  divine  power  for  no  pur 
pose;  since  he  is  here,  rely  on  it,  it  is  for  good." 

"  A  descendant  of  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob  !  Is 
not  Peter,  then,  a  red-skin  and  an  Injin  1" 

"  Certainly ;  though  no  one  knows  his  tribe  but  myself. 
I  know  it,  friend  bee-hunter,  and  shortly  shall  proclaim  it 
throughout  the  length  and  breadth  of  the  land.  Yes,  it 
has  been  given  to  me  to  make  this  important  discovery, 
though  I  sometimes  think  that  Peter  himself  is  really  as 
ignorant  as  all  around  him  of  the  tribe  to  which  he  pro 
perly  belongs." 

"  Do  you  wish  to  keep  it  a  secret  from  me,  too?  I  own 
that,  in  my  eyes,  the  tribe  of  a  red-skin  goes  a  good  way  in 
making  up  my  opinion  of  the  man.  Is  he  a  Winnebagoe  ?" 

"  No,  my  friend,  the  Winnebagoes  have  no  claims  on 
him  at  all." 

"  Nor  a  Pottawattamie,  Otfluva,  or  Ojebway  of  any  sort  ?" 

"  He  is  none  of  these.  Peter  cometh  of  a  nobler  tribe 
than  any  that  beareth  such  names." 

"  Perhaps  he  is  an  Injin  of  the  Six  Nations?  They  tell 
me  that  many  such  have  found  their  way  hither  since  the 
war  of  the  revolution." 


168  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

"  AH  that  may  be  true,  but  Peter  cometh  not  of  Potta- 

wattamie,  Ottawa,  nor  Ojebway." 

"  He  can  hardly  be  of  the  Sacs  or  the  Foxes ;  he  has 
not  the  appearance  of  an  Injin  from  a  region  so  far  west." 

"Neither,  neither,  neither,"  answered  Parson  Amen,  now 
so  full  of  his  secret  as  fairly  to  let  it  overflow.  "  Peter  is 
a  son  of  Israel:  one  of  the  lost  children  of  the  land  of  Ju- 
dea,  in  common  with  many  of  his  red  brethren — mind,  I 
do  not  say  all,  but  with  many  of  his  red  brethren — though 
he  may  not  know  exactly  of  what  tribe  himself.  This  last 
point  has  exercised  me  greatly,  and  days  and  nights  have  I 
pondered  over  the  facts.  Turn  to  Genesis  xlix  and  14th, 
and  there  will  you  find  all  the  authorities  recorded.  '  Ze- 
bulon  shall  dwell  at  the  haven  of  the  sea.'  That  refers  to 
some  other  red  brother,  nearer  to  the  coast,  most  clearly. 
*  Issachar  is  a  strong  ass,  crouching  down  between  two  bur 
dens  ;'  '  and  bowed  his  shoulder  to  bear,  and  became  a  ser 
vant  unto  tribute.'  That  refers,  most  manifestly,  to  the 
black  man  of  the  southern  states,  and  cannot  mean  Peter. 
'  Dan  shall  be  a  serpent  by  the  way,  an  adder  in  the  path.' 
Thete  is  the  red  man  for  you,  drawn  with  the  pencil  of 
truth  {  (  Gad,  a  troop  shall  overcome  him.'  Here,  corpo 
ral,  came  this  way  and  tell  our  new  friend  how  Mad  An 
thony  with  his  troopers  finally  routed  the  red-skins.  You 
were  there,  and  know  all  about  it.  No  language  o»n  be 
plainer  :  until  the  '  long-knives  and  leather-stockings'  came 
into  tne  woods,  the  red  man  had  his  way.  Against  them, 
he  could  not  prevail. 

"  Yes,"  returned  Corporal  Flint,  who  delighted  in  talk 
ing  of  the  wars,  "  it  was  very  much  as  Parson  Amen  says. 
The  savages,  by  their  nimbleness  and  artifices,  would  first 
ambush  us,  and  then  break  away  from  our  charges,  until 
the  gm'ral  bethought  him  of  bringing  cavalry  into  the  wil 
derness.  Nobody  ever  thought  of  such  a  plan,  until  old 
Anthony  invented  it.  As  soon  as  we  got  the  fire  of  the 
savages,  at  the  Mawmee,  we  charged  with  the  baggonet, 
and  put  'em  up;  and  no  sooner  was  they  up,  than  away 
went  the  horse  into  them,  flourishing  the  '  long  knife,'  and 
pressing  the  heel  of  the  '  leather-stocking'  into  the  flanks 
of  their  beasts.  Mr.  Amen  has  found  a  varse  in  Scriptur'a 
that  does  come  near  to  the  p'int,  and  almost  foretells  our 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  169 

victory,  and  that,  too,  as  plain  as  it  stood  in  despatches, 
arterward,  from  head-quarters." 

"'Gad,  a  troop  shall  overcome  him,'  "  put  in  the  mis 
sionary,  triumphantly. 

"That's  it — that's  it;  there  was  just  one  troop  on  'em, 
and  not  a  man  more !  Mad  Anthony  said  a  troop  would 
answer,  arter  we  had  put  the  red-skins  up  out  of  their  am 
bushes,  or  any  other  bushes;  and  so  it  did.  I  must  ac 
knowledge  that  I  think  more  of  the  Scriptur's  than  ever, 
since  Parson  Amen  read  to  me  that  varse." 

"  Hearken  unto  this,  friend  bee-hunter,"  added  the  mis 
sionary,  who  by  this  time  had  fairly  mounted  his  hobby, 
and  fancied  he  saw  a  true  Israelite  in  every  other  Indian 
of  the  west,  "  and  tell  me  if  words  were  ever  more  pro 
phetic —  'Benjamin  shall  ravin  as  a  wolf;  in  the  morning 
he  shall  devour  his  prey,  and  at  night  he  shall  divide  the 
spoil.'  The  art  of  man  could  not  draw  a  more  faithful 
picture  of  these  Indians." 

Boden  was  not  much  skilled  in  sacred  lore,  and  scarce 
knew  what  to  make  of  all  this.  The  idea  that  the  Ameri 
can  Indians  were  the  descendants  of  the  lost  tribes  of  Israel 
was  entirely  new  to  him;  nor  did  he  know  anything  to 
boast  of,  touching  those  tribes,  even  in  their  palmiest  days, 
and  while  in  possession  of  the  promised  land ;  still  he  had 
some  confused  recollection  of  that  which  he  had  read 
when  a  child — what  American  has  not? — and  was  enabled 
to  put  a  question  or  two,  in  return  for  the  information  now 
received. 

"What,  do  you  take  the  savages  of  America  for  Jews?" 
he  asked,  understanding  the  general  drift  of  the  mission 
ary's  meaning. 

"  As  sure  as  you  are  there,  friend  bee-hunter,  though 
you  are  not  to  suppose  that  I  think  Peter  Onoah  of  the 
tribe  of  Benjamin.  No,  I  turn  to  the  21st  verse  for  the 
tribe  of  Peter.  Naphthali  —  Naphthalis,  the  root  of  his 
stock.  '  Naphthali  is  a  hind,  let  loose  :  he  giveth  goodly 
words.'  Now,  what  can  be  plainer  than  this?  A  hind  let 
loose  is  a  deer  running  at  large,  and,  by  a  metaphor,  that 
deer  includes  the  man  that  hunts  him.  Now,  Peter  has 
been — nay,  is  still — a  renowned  hunter,  and  is  intended  to 
be  enumerated  among  the  hinds  let  loose :  '  he  giveth 
15 


170  THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

goodly  words,'  would  set  that  point  at  rest,  if  anything 
were  wanting  to  put  it  beyond  controversy,  for  Onoah  is 
the  most  eloquent  speaker  ear  ever  listened  to !  No  one, 
that  has  ever  heard  him  speak,  can  doubt  that  he  is  the 
one  who  '  giveth  goodly  words.'  " 

To  what  other  circumstance  the  well-intentioned  mis 
sionary  would  next  have  alluded,  in  the  course  of  this  de 
monstration  of  a  theory  that  had  got  to  be  a  favourite  with 
him,  is  more  than  can  now  be  related,  since  the  Indian 
himself  drew  near,  and  put  an  end  to  the  conversation. 
Peter  had  made  up  his  mind  to  cross  the  river  at  once ; 
and  came  to  say  as  much  to  his  companions,  both  of  whom 
he  intended  to  leave  behind  him.  Le  Bourdon  could  not 
arrest  this  movement,  short  of  an  appeal  to  force;  and 
force  he  did  not  like  to  use,  doubting  equally  its  justice 
and  its  prudence. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

There  is  no  other  land  like  thee, 

No  dearer  shore  ; 
Thou  art  the  shelter  of  the  free  ; 
The  home,  the  port  of  liberty 
Thou  hast  been,  and  shalt  ever  be 

'Till  time  is  o'er. 
Ere  I  forget  to  think  upon 
My  land,  shall  mother  curse  the  son 

She  bore. 


THE  independent,  not  to  say  controlling,  manner  of 
Peter,  would  seem  to  put  all  remonstrances  and  arguments 
at  defiance.  Le  Bourdon  soon  had  occasion  to  see  that 
both  the  missionary  and  the  corporal  submitted  to  his 
•  wishes,  and  that  there  was  no  use  in  gainsaying  anything 
he  proposed.  In  all  matters  he  did  as  he  pleased  ;  his  two 
companions  submitting  to  his  will  as  completely  as  if  one 
of  them  had  seen  in  this  supposed  child  of  Israel,  Joshua. 


THE    OAK     OPENINGS.  171 

the  son  of  Nun,  and  the  other  even  Aaron,  the  high  priest, 
nimself. 

Peter's  preparations  were  soon  made.  Everything  be 
longing  to  the  missionary  and  the  corporal  was  removed 
from  the  canoe,  which  then  contained  only  the  extra  cloth 
ing  and  the  special  property  of  the  Indian  himself.  As 
soon  as  ready,  the  latter  quietly  and  fearlessly  paddled 
away,  his  canoe  going  easily  and  swiftly  down  before  the 
wind.  He  had  no  sooner  got  clear  of  the  rice,  than  the 
bee-hunter  and  Margery  ran  away  to  the  eminence,  to 
watch  his  movements,  and  to  note  his  reception  among  the 
Pottawattamies.  Leaving  them  there,  we  shall  accompany 
the  canoe,  in  its  progress  towards  the  northern  shore. 

At  first,  Peter  paddled  quietly  on,  as  if  he  had  no  other 
object  before  him  than  the  passage  of  the  river.  When 
quite  clear  of  the  rice,  however,  he  ceased,  and  undid  his 
bundle  of  clothes,  which  were  carefully  put  away  in  the 
knapsack  of  a  soldier.  From  this  repository  of  his  effects, 
the  chief  carefully  drew  forth  a  small  bundle,  on  opening 
which,  no  less  than  seven  fresh  human  scalps  appeared. 
These  he  arranged,  in  order,  on  a  wand-like  pole,  when, 
satisfied  with  the  arrangement,  he  resumed  the  paddle. 
It  was  apparent,  from  the  first,  that  the  Pottawattamies  on 
the  north  shore  had  seen  the  strange  canoe  when  it  entered 
the  river,  and  they  now  collected  in  a  group,  at  the  ordi 
nary  landing  beneath  the  chient£,  to  await  its  approach. 
Peter  ceased  his  own  exertions,  as  soon  as  he  had  got 
within  a  hundred  yards  of  the  beach,  took  the  scalp-pole 
in  his  hand,  arose,  and  permitted  the  canoe  to  drift  down 
before  the  wind,  certain  it  would  take  the  desired  direction, 
from  the  circumstance  of  his  having  placed  it  precisely  to 
windward  of  the  landing.  Once  or  twice  he  slowly  waved 
the  pole  in  a  way  to  draw  attention  to  the  scalps,  which 
were  suspended  from  its  end,  each  obvious  and  distinct 
from  its  companions. 

Napoleon,  when  he  returned  from  the  campaign  of  Aus- 
terlitz;  or  Wellington,  when  he  entered  the  House  of  Com 
mons  to  receive  the  thanks  of  its  speaker,  on  his  return 
from  Spain;  or  the  chief  of  all  the  battles  of  the  Rio  Bravo 
del  Norte ;  or  him  of  the  valley  of  Mexico,  whose  exploits 
fairly  rival  those  of  Cortes  himself,  could  scarcely  be  a 


172  THE     OAK     OPENINGS 

subject  of  greater  interest  to  a  body  of  spectators,  assem 
bled  to  do  him  honour,  than  was  this  well-known  Indian, 
as  he  drew  near  to  the  Pottawattamies,  waving  his  scalps, 
in  significant  triumph  !  Glory,  as  the  homage  paid  by  man 
to  military  renown  is  termed,  was  the  common  impulse 
with  them  all.  It  is  true,  that,  measured  by  the  standards 
of  reason  and  right,  the  wise  and  just  might  find  motives 
for  appreciating  the  victories  of  those  named  differently 
from  the  manner  in  which  they  are  usually  regarded 
through  the  atmosphere  of  success;  but  in  the  common 
mind  it  was  all  glory,  alike.  The  name  of  "  Onoah" 
passed  in  murmurs  of  admiration,  from  mouth  to  mouth ; 
for,  as  it  appeared,  the  person  of  this  renowned  Indian  was 
recognised  by  many  on  the  shore,  some  time  ere  he  reached 
it  himself. 

Crowsfeather,  and  the  other  chiefs,  advanced  to  meet 
the  visitor ;  the  young  men  standing  in  the  background,  in 
respectful  admiration.  Peter  now  stepped  from  the  canoe, 
and  greeted  each  of  the  principal  men  with  the  courteous 
gravity  of  a  savage.  He  shook  hands  with  each,  calling 
one  or  two  by  name,  a  proof  of  the  parties  having  met 
before;  then  the  following  dialogue  occurred.  All  spoke 
in  the  tongue  of  the  Pottawattamies,  but,  as  we  have  had 
occasion  to  remark  on  previous  occasions,  it  is  to  be  pre 
sumed  that  the  reader  would  scarcely  be  able  to  under 
stand  what  was  said,  were  we  to  record  it,  word  for  word, 
in  the  language  in  which  it  was  uttered.  In  consequence 
of  this  difficulty,  and  for  other  reasons  to  which  it  may  not 
be  necessary  to  allude,  we  shall  endeavour  to  translate  that 
which  passed,  as  closely  as  the  English  idioms  will  permit 
us  so  to  do. 

"  My  father  is  very  welcome  !"  exclaimed  Crowsfeather, 
who,  by  many  degrees,  exceeded  all  his  companions  in  con 
sideration  and  rank.  "  I  see  he  has  taken  many  scalps,  as 
is  his  practice,  and  that  the  pale-faces  are  daily  getting  to 
be  fewer.  Will  the  sun  ever  rise  on  that  day  when  their 
wigwams  will  look  like  the  branches  of  the  oak  in  winter? 
Can  my  father  give  us  any  hope  of  seeing  that  hour?" 

"  It  is  a  long  path  from  the  salt-lake  out  of  which  the 
sun  rises,  to  that  other  salt-lake  in  which  it  hides  itself  at 
night.  The  sun  sleeps  each  night  beneath  water,  but  it  is 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  173 

BO  hot  that  it  is  soon  dried  when  it  comes  out  of  its  bed  in 
the  morning.  This  is  the  Great  Spirit's  doings,  and  not 
ours.  The  sun  is  his  sun;  the  Indians  can  warm  them 
selves  by  it,  but  they  cannot  shorten  its  journey  a  single 
tomahawk-handle's  length.  The  same  is  true  of  time;  it 
belongs  to  the  Manitou,  who  will  lengthen,  or  shorten  it, 
as  he  may  see  fit.  We  are  his  children,  and  it  is  our  duty 
to  submit.  He  has  not  forgotten  us.  He  made  us  with 
his  own  hand,  and  will  no  more  turn  us  out  of  the  land 
than  a  father  will  turn  his  child  from  the  wigwam." 

"  We  hope  this  is  so;  but  it  does  not  seem  thus  to  our 
poor  weak  eyes,  Onoah.  We  count  the  pale-faces,  and 
every  summer  they  grow  fast  as  the  grass  on  the  prairies. 
We  can  see  more  when  the  leaf  falls  than  when  the  tree  is 
in  bud  ;  and,  then,  more  when  the  leaf  is  in  bud  than  when 
it  falls.  A  few  moons  will  put  a  town  where  the  pine  stood, 
and  wigwams  drive  the  wolves  from  their  homes.  In  a  few 
years  we  shall  have  nothing  but  dogs  to  eat,  if  the  pale-face 
dogs  do  not  eat  us." 

"  Squaws  are  impatient,  but  men  know  how  to  wait. 
This  land  was  given  to  the  red  man  by  the  Great  Spirit,  as 
.  have  often  told  you,  my  children ;  if  he  has  let  in  the 
pale-faces  for  a  few  winters,  it  is  to  punish  us  for  having 
done  wrong.  Now  that  we  are  sorry  for  what  we  have  done, 
he  will  help  us  to  drive  away  the  strangers,  and  give  us  the 
woods  again  to  hunt  in  by  ourselves.  Have  not  messengers 
from  our  Great  Father  in  Montreal  been  among  the  Potta- 
wattamies  to  strengthen  their  hearts?" 

"  They  are  always  whispering  in  the  ears  of  our  tribes. 
I  cannot  remember  the  time  when  whisperers  from  Mon 
treal  have  not  been  among  us.  Their  blankets  are  warm, 
their  fire-water  is  strong,  their  powder  is  good,  and  their 
rifles  shoot  well ;  but  all  this  does  not  stop  the  children 
of  Uncle  Sam  from  being  more  at  night  than  they  were  in 
the  morning.  The  red  men  get  tired  of  counting  them. 
They  have  become  plentier  than  the  pigeons  in  the  spring. 
My  father  has  taken  many  of  their  scalps,  but  the  hair  must 
grow  after  his  knife,  their  scalps  are  still  so  many." 

"  See  !"  rejoined  Peter,  lowering  his  pole  so  that  all  might 
examine  his  revolting  trophies,  "  these  come  from  the  sol 
diers  at  the  head  of  the  lake  Black-bird  was  there  with 
15* 


174  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

his  young  men ;  no  one  of  them  all  got  as  many  scalps  \ 
This  is  the  way  to  stop  the  white  pigeons  from  flying  over 
us  in  such  flocks  as  to  hide  and  darken  the  sun." 

Another  murmur  of  admiration  passed  through  the 
crowd,  as  each  young  warrior  bent  forward  to  count  the 
number  of  the  scalps,  and  to  note,  by  signs  familiar  to 
themselves,  the  ages,  sex,  and  condition  of  the  different 
victims.  Here  was  another,  among  a  hundred  others  of 
which  they  had  heard,  of  the  prowess  of  the  mysterious 
Onoah,  as  well  as  of  his  inextinguishable  hatred  of  the  race 
that  was  slowly,  but  unerringly,  supplanting  the  ancient 
stock,  causing  the  places  that  once  knew  the  people  of 
their  tribes  "  to  know  them  no  more."  As  soon  as  this 
little  burst  of  feeling  had  subsided,  the  conversation  went  on. 

"  We  have  had  a  pale-face  medicine-man  among  us, 
Onoah,"  continued  Crowsfeather,  "  and  he  has  so  far 
blinded  us  that  we  know  not  what  to  think." 

The  chief  ftien  recounted  the  leading  events  of  the  visit 
of  the  bee-hunter  to  the  place,  stating  each  occurrence 
fairly,  as  he  understood  it,  and  as  fairly  confessing  that 
even  the  chiefs  were  at  a  loss  to  know  what  to  make  of  the 
affair.  In  addition  to  this  account,  he  gave  the  mysterious 
Onoah  the  history  of  the  prisoner  they  had  taken,  the  death 
of  Elksfoot,  their  intention  to  torture  that  very  morning  the 
Chippewa  they  had  captured,  and  his  flight,  together  with 
the  loss  of  their  young  man,  and  the  subsequent  escape  of 
their  unknown  enemies,  who  had  taken  away  all  of  their 
own  canoes.  How  far  the  medicine-man  had  anything  to 
do  with  the  other  events  of  his  narrative,  Crowsfeather 
very  candidly  admitted  he  could  not  even  conjecture.  He 
was  still  at  a  loss  whether  to  set  down  the  conjurer  for  a 
pretender,  or  as  a  real  oracle.  Peter,  however,  was  less 
credulous  even  than  the  chiefs..  He  had  his  superstitious 
notions,  like  all  uneducated  men,  but  a  clear  head  and 
quick  intellect  placed  him  far  above  the  weaknesses  of  the 
red  man  in  general.  On  receiving  a  description  of  the  per 
son  of  the  unknown  "  medicine-man,"  he  at  once  recog 
nised  the  bee-hunter.  With  an  Indian  to  describe,  and 
an  Indian  to  interpret  or  apply,  escape  from  discovery  was 
next  to  impossible. 

Although  Onoah,  or  the  "  Tribeless,"  as  he  was  also  fre- 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  175 

quently  called  by  the  red  men,  from  the  circumstance  of 
no  one's  knowing  to  what  particular  section  of  the  great 
Indian  family  he  belonged,  perfectly  understood  that  the 
bee-hunter  he  had  seen  on  the  other  shore  was  the  indivi 
dual  who  had  been  playing  tho  part  of  a  conjurer  among 
these  Pottawattamies,  he  was  /ery  careful  not  to  reveal  the 
fact  to  Crowsfeather.  He  had  his  own  policy,  and  was 
fully  aware  of  all  the  virtue  there  is  in  mystery  and  reserve. 
With  an  Indian,  these  qualities  go  farther  even  than  with  a 
white  man;  and  we  of  the  Circassian  race  are  not  entirely 
exempt  from  the  folly  of  being  deceived  by  appearances. 
On  the  present  occasion  Peter  kept  his  knowledge  to  him 
self,  still  leaving  his  red  brethren  in  doubt  and  uncertainty  ; 
but  he  took  care  to  be  right  in  his  own  opinions  by  putting 
as  many  questions  as  were  necessary  for  that  purpose.  Once 
assured  of  his  fact,  he  turned  to  other  subjects  of  even 
greater  interest  to  himself  and  his  companions. 

The  conference  which  now  took  place  between  the 
"  Tribeless"  and  Crowsfeather  was  held  apart,  both  being 
chiefs  of  too  much  importance  to  be  intruded  on  at  a  mo 
ment  like  that.  The  two  chiefs  exhibited  a  very  charac 
teristic  picture  while  engaged  in  this  conference.  They 
seated  themselves  on  a  bank,  and  drawing  their  legs  par 
tially  under  them,  sat  face  to  face,  with  their  heads  less 
than  two  feet  asunder,  occasionally  gesticulating  with  dig 
nity,  but  each  speaking  in  his  turn  with  studied  decorum. 
Crowsfeather  was  highly  painted,  and  looked  fierce  and 
warlike,  but  Onoah  had  nothing  extraordinary  about  him, 
with  the  exception  of  the  decorations  and  dress  already  de 
scribed,  unless  it  might  be  his  remarkable  countenance. 
The  face  of  this  Indian  ordinarily  wore  a  thoughtful  cast, 
an  expression  which  it  is  not  unusual  to  meet  with  in  a 
savage;  though  at  times  it  lighted  up,  as  it  might  be  with 
the  heat  of  inward  fires,  like  the  crater  giving  out  its  occa 
sional  flames  beneath  the  hues  of  a  saddened  atmosphere 
One  accustomed  to  study  the  human  face,  and  to  analyze 
its  expressions,  would  possibly  have  discovered  in  that 
countenance  lines  of  deep  artifice,  together  with  the  traces 
of  a  profound  and  constitutional  enthusiasm.  He  was 
bent,  at  that  very  moment,  on  a  scheme  worthy  of  the 
ioftiest  spirit  living ;  the  regeneration  and  union  of  the 


176  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

people  of  his  race,  with  a  view  to  recover  the  possessions 
they  had  yielded  to  the  pale-faces;  but  it  was  a  project 
blended  with  the  ferocity  and  revenge  of  a  savage — noble 
while  ferocious. 

Not  idly  had  the  whites,  scattered  along  that  frontier, 
given  the  sobriquet  of  "  Scalping"  to  Peter.  As  his  pole 
now  showed,  it  had  been  earned  in  a  hundred  scenes  of 
bloody  vengeance ;  and  so  great  had  been  his  success,  that 
the  warrior,  prophet,  and  councillor,  for  all  these  charac 
ters  were  united  in  his  single  person,  began  to  think  the 
attainment  of  his  wishes  possible.  As  a  matter  of  course, 
much  ignorance  of  the  power  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race  on 
this  continent,  was  blended  with  these  opinions  and  hopes; 
but  it  was  scarcely  an  ignorance  exceeding  that  of  certain 
persons  of  far  higher  pretensions  in  knowledge,  who  live 
in  another  hemisphere,  and  who  often  set  themselves  up  as 
infallible  judges  of  all  things  connected  with  man,  and  his 
attributes.  Peter,  the  "  Tribeless,"  was  not  more  in  fault, 
than  those  who  fancied  they  saw  the  power  of  this  great 
Republic  in  the  gallant  little  band  collected  at  Corpus 
Christi,  under  its  indomitable  chief,  and  who,  march  by 
march,  nay,  foot  by  foot,  as  it  might  be,  have  perseveringly 
predicted  the  halt,  the  defeat,  the  disasters,  and  final  dis 
comfiture,  which  it  has  not  yet  pleased  Divine  Providence 
to  inflict  on  this  slight  effort  of  the  young  Hercules,  as  he 
merely  moves  *in  his  cradle.  Alas !  the  enemy  that  most 
menaces  the  overthrow  of  this  new  and  otherwise  invin 
cible  exhibition  of  human  force,  is  within ;  seated  in  the 
citadel  itself;  and  must  be  narrowly  watched,  or  he  will  act 
his  malignant  purpose,  and  destroy  the  fairest  hopes  that 
ever  yet  dawned  on  the  fortunes  of  the  human  race ! 

The  conference  between  the  chiefs  lasted  fully  an  hour. 
Crowsfeather  possessed  much  of  the  confidence  of  Peter, 
and,  as  for  Onoah,  neither  Tecumthe,  nor  his  brother  the 
Prophet,  commanded  as  much  of  the  respect  of  Crows- 
feather  as  he  did  himself.  Some  even  whispered  that  the 
''  Tribeless"  was  the  individual  who  lay  behind  all,  and 
that  the  others  named,  merely  acted  as  he  suggested,  or  ad 
vised.  The  reader  will  obtain  all  the  insight  into  the  future 
that  it  is  necessary  now  to  give  him,  by  getting  a  few  -if 


T  H  R     O  A  K     O  P  E  N  I  N  G  S  .  1 77 

the  remarks  made  by  the  two  colloquists,  just  before  they 
joined  the  rest  of  the  party. 

"  My  father,  then,  intends  to  lead  his  pale-faces  on  a 
crooked  path,  and  take  their  scalps  when  he  has  done  with 
them,"  said  Crowsfeather,  who  had  been  gravely  listening 
to  Peter's  plans  of  future  proceeding;  "  but  who  is  to  get 
the  scalp  of  the  Chippewa?" 

"One  of  my  Pottawattamie  young  men;  but  not  until  1 
have  made  use  of  him.  I  have  a  medicine-priest  of  the 
pale-faces  and  a  warrior  with  me,  but  shall  not  put  their 
scalps  on  my  pole  until  they  have  paddled  me  further. 
The  council  is  to  be  first  held  in  the  Oak  Openings" — we 
translate  this  term  freely,  that  used  by  Peter  meaning  rather 
"  the  open  woods  of  the  prairies"  —  "  and  I  wish  to  show 
my  prisoners  to  the  chiefs,  that  they  may  see  how  easy  it 
is  to  cut  off  all  the  Yankees.  I  have  now  four  men  of  that 
people,  and  two  squaws,  in  my  power;  let  every  red  man 
destroy  as  many,  and  the  land  will  soon  be  clear  of  them 
all !" 

This  was  uttered  with  gleamings  of  ferocity  in  the 
speaker's  face,  that  rendered  his  countenance  terrible. 
Even  Crowsfeather  quailed  a  little  before  that  fierce  aspect; 
but  the  whole  passed  away  almost  as  soon  as  betrayed,  and 
was  succeeded  by  a  friendly  and  deceptive  smile,  that  was 
characteristic  of  the  wily  Asiatic  rather  than  of  the  abori 
ginal  American. 

"  They  cannot  be  counted,"  returned  the  Pottawattamie 
chief,  as  soon  as  his  restraint  was  a  little  removed  by  this 
less  terrific  aspect  of  his  companion,  "  if  all  I  hear  is  true. 
Black-Bird  says  that  even  the  squaws  of  the  pale-faces  are 
numerous  enough  to  overcome  all  the  red  men  that  remain." 

"  There  will  be  two  less,  when  I  fasten  to  my  pole  the 
scalps  of  those  on  the  other  side  of  the  river,"  answered 
Peter,  with  another  of  his  transient,  but  startling,  gleams 
of  intense  revenge.  "  But,  no  matter,  now :  my  brother 
knows  all  I  wish  him  to  do.  Not  a  hair  of  the  head  of  any 
of  these  pale-faces  must  be  touched  by  any  hand  but  mine. 
Whon  the  time  comes,  the  knife  of  Onoah  is  sure.  The 
Pottawattamies  shall  have  their  canoes,  and  can  follow  us 
up  the  river.  They  will  find  us  in  the  Openings,  and  near 
the  Prairie  Round.  They  know  the  spot;  for  the  red  men 


178  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

love  to  hunt  the  deer  in  that  region.  Now,  go  and  tell 
this  to  your  young  men ;  and  tell  them  that  corn  will  not 
grow,  nor  the  deer  wait  to  be  killed  by  any  of  your  people, 
if  they  forget  to  do  as  I  have  s^id.  Vengeance  shall  come, 
when  it  is  time." 

Crowsfeather  communicated  all  this  to  his  warriors,  who 
received  it  as  the  ancients  received  the  words  qf  their  ora 
cles.  Each  member  of  the  party  endeavoured  to  get  an 
accurate  notion  of  his  duty,  in  order  that  he  might  comply 
to  the  very  letter  with  the  injunctions  received.  So  pro 
found  was  the  impression  made  among  all  the  red  men  of 
the  North-west  by  the  previous  labours  of  the  '  Tribeless'  to 
awaken  a  national  spirit,  and  so  great  was  their  dread  of 
the  consequences  of  disobedience,  that  every  warrior  pre 
sent  felt  as  if  his  life  were  the  threatened  penalty  of  neglect 
or  disinclination  to  obey. 

No  sooner,  however,  had  Crowsfeather  got  through  with 
his  communication,  than  a  general  request  was  made  that 
the  problem  of  the  whiskey-spring  might  be  referred  to 
Onoah  for  solution.  The  young  men  had  strong  hopes, 
notwithstanding  all  that  had  passed,  that  'this  spring 
might  yet  turn  out  to  be  a  reality.  The  scent  was  still 
there,  strong  and  fragrant,  and  they  could  not  get  rid  of 
the  notion  that  "  fire-water"  grew  on  that  spot.  It  is  true, 
their  faith  had  been  somewhat  disturbed  by  the  manner  in 
which  the  medicine-man  had  left  them,  and  by  his  failure 
to  draw  forth  the  gushing  stream  which  he  had  impliedly 
promised,  and  in  a  small  degree  performed ;  nevertheless, 
little  pools  of  whiskey  had  been  found  on  the  rock,  and 
several  had  tasted  and  satisfied  themselves  of  the  quality 
of  the  liquor.  As  is  usual,  that  taste  had  created  a  desire 
for  more,  a  desire  that  seldom  slumbered  on  an  Indian 
palate  when  strong  drinks  were  connected  with  its  gratifi 
cation. 

Peter  heard  the  request  with  gravity,  and  consented  to 
look  into  the  matter  with  a  due  regard  to  his  popularity  and 
influence.  He  had  his  own  superstitious  views,  but  among 
them  there  did  not  happen  to  be  one  which  admitted  the 
possibility  of  whiskey's  running  in  a  stream  from  the  living 
rock.  Still  he  was  willing  to  examine  the  charmed  spot, 
scent  the  fragrant  odour,  and  makp  nn  M«  ^^-^  —  »:.„.,*»  ~f 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  179 

the  artifices  by  which  the  bee-hunter  had  been  practising 
on  the  untutored  beings  into  whose  hands  chance  had 
thrown  him. 

While  the  young  men  eagerly  pointed  out  the  precise 
spots  where  the  scent  was  the  strongest,  Peter  maintained 
the  most  unmoved  gravity.  He  did  not  kneel  to  smell  the 
rocks,  like  the  other  chiefs,  for  this  an  innate  sense  of  pro 
priety  told  him  would  be  undignified  ;  but  he  made  his  ob 
servations  closely,  and  with  a  keen  Indian-like  attention  to 
every  little  circumstance  that  might  aid  him  in  arriving  at 
the  truth.  All  this  time,  great  was  the  awe  and  deep  the 
admiration  of  the  lookers-on.  Onoah  had  succeeded  in 
creating  a  moral  power  for  himself  among  the  Indians  of 
the  North-west  which  much  exceeded  that  of  any  other  red 
man  of  that  region.  The  whites  scarcely  heard  of  him, 
knew  but  little  of  his  career,  and  less  of  his  true  character, 
for  both  were  shrouded  in  mystery.  There  is  nothing  re 
markable  in  this  ignorance  of  the  pale-faces  of  the  time. 
They  did  not  understand  their  own  leaders ;  much  less  the 
leaders  of  the  children  of  the  openings,  the  prairies,  and 
the  forest.  At  this  hour,  what  is  really  known  by  the  mass 
of  the  American  people  of  the  true  characters  of  their 
public  men  1  No  nation  that  has  any  claim  to  civilization 
and  publicity  knows  less,  and  for  several  very  obvious 
reasons.  The  want  of  a  capital  in  which  the  intelligence 
of  the  nation  periodically  assembles,  and  whence  a  cor 
rected  public  opinion  on  all  such  matters  ought  constantly 
to  flow,  as  truth  emanates  from  the  collisions  of  minds,  is 
one  of  these  reasons.  The  extent  of  the  country,  which 
separates  men  by  distances  that  no  fact  can  travel  over  with 
out  incurring  the  dangers  of  being  perverted  on  the  road, 
is  another.  But  the  most  fatal  of  all  the  influences  that 
tend  to  mislead  the  judgment  of  the  American  citizen,  is 
to  be  found  in  the  abuse  of  a  machinery  that  was  intended 
to  produce  an  exactly  contrary  effect.  If  the  tongue  was 
given  to  man  to  communicate  ideas  to  his  fellows,  so  has 
philosophy  described  it  as  "  a  gift  to  conceal  his  thoughts." 
If  the  press  was  devised  to  circulate  truth,  so  has  it  been 
changed  into  a  means  of  circulating  lies.  One  is  easily, 
nay,  more  easily,  sent  abroad  on  the  four  winds  of  the 
heavens  than  the  other.  Truth  requires  candour,  imparti* 


180  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

ality,  honesty,  research,  and  industry;  but  a  falsehood 
whether  designed  or  not,  stands  in  need  of  neither.  Of 
that  which  is  the  most  easily  produced,  the  country  get* 
the  most ;  and  it  were  idle  to  imagine  that  a  people  who 
blindly  and  unresistingly  submit  to  be  put,  as  it  might  be, 
under  the  feet  of  falsehood,  as  respects  all  their  own  public 
men,  can  ever  get  very  accurate  notions  of  those  of  other 
nations. 

Thus  was  it  with  Onoah.  His  name  was  unknown  to 
the  whites,  except  as  a  terrible  and  much-dreaded  avenger 
of  the  wrongs  of  his  race.  With  the  red  men  it  was  very 
different.  They  had  no  "  forked  tongues"  to  make  false 
hood  take  the  place  of  truth;  or  if  such  existed,  they  were 
not  believed.  The  Pottawattamies  now  present  knew  all 
about  Tecumseh,*  of  whom  the  whites  had  also  various 
and  ample  accounts.  This  Shawanee  chief  had  long  been 
active  among  them,  and  his  influence  was  extended  far  and 
near.  He  was  a  bold,  restless,  and  ingenious  warrior ; 
one,  perhaps,  who  better  understood  the  art  of  war,  as  it 
was  practised  among  red  men,  than  any  Indian  then  living. 
They  knew  the  name  and  person,  also,  of  his  brother  Elks- 
watawa,f  or  the  Prophet,  whose  name  has  also  become  in 
corporated  with  the  histories  of  the  times.  These  two 
chiefs  were  very  powerful,  though  scarce  dwelling  regularly 
in  any  tribe;  but  their  origin,  their  careers,  and  their  cha 
racters  were  known  to  all,  as  were  those  of  their  common 
father,  Pukeesheno,f  and  their  mother,  Meethetaske.§ 
But  with  Onoah  it  was  very  different.  With  him  the  past 
was  as  much  of  a  mystery  as  the  future.  No  Indian  could 
say  even  of  what  tribe  he  was  born.  The  totem  that  he 
bore  on  his  person  belonged  to  no  people  then  existing  on 
the  continent,  and  all  connected  with  him,  his  history,  na 
tion,  and  family,  was  conjecture  and  fancy. 

It  is  said  that  the  Indians  have  traditions  which  are  com 
municated  only  to  a  favoured  few,  and  which  by  them  have 
been  transmitted  from  generation  to  generation.  An  en 
lightened  and  educated  red  man  has  quite  recently  told  us 
in  person,  that  he  had  been  made  the  repository  of  some 

*  A  'tiger  stooping  for  his  prey.' 

A  door  opened.'  $  '  I  light  from  flying.' 

A  turtle  laying  her  eggs  in  the  sand.' 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  181 

of  these  traditions,  and  that  he  had  thus  obtained  enough 
of  the  history  of  his  race  to  be  satisfied  that  they  were  not 
derived  from  the  lost  tribes  of  Israel,  though  he  declined 
communicating  any  more.  It  is  so  natural  to  resort  to  se- 
cresy  in  order  to  extend  influence,  that  we  can  have  no 
difficulty  in  believing  the  existence  of  the  practice;  there 
probably  being  no  other  reason  why  Free  Masonry  or  Odd 
Fellowship  should  have  recourse  to  such  an  expedient,  but 
to  rule  through  the  imagination  in  preference  to  the  judg 
ment.  Now  Peter  enjoyed  all  the  advantages  of  mystery 
It  was  said  that  even  his  real  name  was  unknown,  that  of 
Onoah  having  been  given  in  token  of  the  many  scalps  he 
took,  and  that  of  Wa-wa-nosh,  which  he  also  sometimes 
bore,  having  been  bestowed  on  him  by  adoption  in  conse 
quence  of  an  act  of  favour  extended  to  him  from  an  Ojeb- 
way  of  some  note,  while  that  of  Peter  was  clearly  derived 
from  the  whites.  Some  of  his  greatest  admirers  whispered 
that  when  the  true  name  of  the  "  Tribeless"  should  get 
to  be  known,  his  origin,  early  career,  and  all  relating  to 
him  would  at  once  become  familiar  to  every  red  man.  At 
present,  the  Indians  must  rest  content  with  what  they  saw 
and  understood.  The  wisdom  of  Wa-wa-nosh  made  itself 
felt  in  the  councils ;  his  eloquence,  no  speaker  has  equalled 
for  ages;  as  for  his  vengeance  on  the  enemies  of  his  race, 
that  was  to  be  estimated  by  the  scalps  he  had  taken.  More 
than  this,  no  Indian  was  to  be  permitted  to  know,  until  the 
mission  of  this  oracle  and  chief  was  completed. 

Had  one  enlightened  by  the  education  of  a  civilized  man 
been  there,  to  watch  the  movements  and  countenance  of 
Peter  as  he  scented  the  whiskey,  and  looked  in  vain  for  the 
cause  of  the  odour,  and  for  a  clue  to  the  mystery  which  so 
much  perplexed  the  Pottawattamies,  he  would  probably 
have  discovered  some  reason  to  distrust  the  sincerity  of 
this  remarkable  savage's  doubts.  If  ever  Peter  was  an 
actor,  it  was  on  that  occasion.  He  did  not,  in  the  least, 
fall  into  any  of  the  errors  of  his  companions ;  but  the  scent 
a  good  deal  confounded  him  at  first.  At  length  he  came 
to  the  natural  conclusion,  that  this  unusual  odour  was  in 
Borne  way  connected  with  the  family  he  had  left  on  the 
other  shore ;  and  from  that  moment  his  mind  was  at  ease. 

It  did  not  suit  the  views  of  Peter,  however,  to  explain 
16 


182  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

to  the  Pottawattamies  that  which  was  now  getting  to  be  so 
obvious  to  himself.  On  the  contrary,  he  rather  threw  dust 
into  the  eyes  of  the  chiefs,  with  a  view  to  bring  them  also 
under  the  influence  of  superstition.  After  making  his  ob 
servations  with  unmoved  gravity,  he  promised  a  solution 
of  the  whole  affair  when  they  should  again  meet  in  the 
openings,  and  proposed  to  re-cross  the  river.  Before  quit 
ting  tbe  shore,  Peter  and  Crowsfeather  had  a  clear  under 
standing  on  the  subject  of  their  respective  movements; 
and,  as  soon  as  the  former  began  to  paddle  up  against  the 
wind,  the  latter  called  his  young  men  together,  made  a 
short  address,  and  led  them  into  the  woods,  as  if  about  to 
proceed  on  a  march  of  length.  The  party,  notwithstanding, 
did  not  proceed  more  than  a  mile  and  a  half,  when  it  came 
to  a  halt,  and  lighted  a  fire  in  order  to  cook  some  venison 
taken  on  the  way. 

When  Peter  reached  the  south  shore,  he  found  the  whole 
group  assembled  to  receive  him.  His  tale  was  soon  told. 
He  had  talked  with  the  Pottawattamies,  and  they  were 
gone.  The  canoes,  however,  must  be  carried  to  the  other 
shore  and  left  there,  in  order  that  their  owners  might  re 
cover  their  property  when  they  returned.  This  much  had 
Peter  promised,  and  his  pale-face  friends  must  help  him  to 
keep  his  word.  Then  he  pointed  to  the  openings  as  to 
their  place  of  present  safety.  There  they  would  be  re 
moved  from  all  immediate  danger,  and  he  would  accom 
pany  them  and  give  them  the  countenance  and  protection 
of  his  name  and  presence.  As  for  going  south  on  the  lake, 
that  was  impossible,  so  long  as  the  wind  lasted,  and  it  was 
useless  even  could  it  be  done.  The  troops  had  all  left 
Chicago,  and  the  fort  was  destroyed. 

Parson  Amen  and  Corporal  Flint,  both  of  whom  were 
completely  deluded  by  Peter,  fancying  him  a  secret  friend 
of  the  whites,  in  consequence  of  his  own  protestations  to 
that  effect  and  the  service  he  had  already  rendered  them, 
in  appearance  at  least,  instantly  acquiesced  in  this  wily 
savage's  proposal.  It  was  the  best,  the  wisest,  nay,  the 
only,  thing  that  now  could  be  done.  Mackinaw  was  gone, 
as  well  as  Chicago,  and  Detroit  must  be  reached  by  cross 
ing  the  peninsula,  instead  of  'aking  the  easier  but  far  more 
circuitous  route  of  the  lakes  Gershom  was  easily  enough 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  183 

persuaded  into  the  belief  of  the  feasibility,  as  well  as  of 
the  necessity,  of  this  deviation  from  his  original  road,  and 
he  soon  agreed  to  accompany  the  party. 

With  le  Bourdon  the  case  was  different.  He  understood 
himself  and  the  wilderness.  For  him  the  wind  was  fair, 
and  there  was  no  necessity  for  his  touching  at  Mackinaw 
at  all.  It  is  true,  he  usually  passed  several  days  on  that 
pleasant  and  salubrious  island,  and  .frequently  disposed  of 
lots  of  honey  there ;  but  he  could  dispense  with  the  visit 
and  the  sales.  There  was  certainly  danger  now  to  be  ap 
prehended  from  the  Ottawas,  who  would  be  very  apt  to  be 
out  on  the  lake  after  this  maritime  excursion  against  the 
fort;  but  it  was  possible  even  to  elude  their  vigilance.  In 
a  word,  the  bee-hunter  did  not  believe  in  the  prudence  of 
returning  to  the  openings,  but  thought  it  by  far  the  wisest 
for  the  whole  party  to  make  the  best  of  its  way  by  water 
to  the  settlements.  All  this  he  urged  warmly  on  his  white 
companions,  taking  them  aside  for  that  purpose,  and  leav 
ing  Peter  and  Pigeonswing  together  while  he  did  so. 

But  Parson  Amen  would  as  soon  have  believed  that  his 
old  congregation  in  Connecticut  was  composed  of  Philis^ 
tines,  as  not  to  believe  that  the  red  men  were  the  lost 
tribes,  and  that  Peter,  in  particular,  was  not  especially  and 
elaborately  described  in  the  Old  Testament.  He  had  be 
come  so  thoroughly  possessed  by  this  crotchet  as  to  per 
vert  everything  that  he  saw,  read,  or  heard  into  evidence, 
of  some  sort  or  other,  of  the  truth  of  his  notions.  In  this 
respect  there  was  nothing  peculiar  in  the  good  missionary's 
weakness,  it  being  a  failing  common  to  partisans  of  a  theory 
to  discover  proofs  of  its  truth  in  a  thousand  things  in  which 
indifferent  persons  can  find  even  no  connection  with  the 
subject  at  all.  In  this  frame  of  mind  the  missionary  would 
as  soon  think  of  letting  go  his  hold  on  the  Bible  itself,  as 
think  of  separating  from  an  Indian  who  might  turn  out 
any  day  to  be  a  direct  representative  of  Abraham,  and 
Isaac,  and  Jacob.  Not  to  speak  irreverently,  but  to  use 
language  that  must  be  familiar  to  all,  the  well-meaning 
missionary  wished  to  be  in  at  the  death. 

Corporal  Flint,  too,  had  great  faith  in  Peter.  It  was  a 
part  of  the  scheme  of  the  savage  to  make  this  straight 
forward  soldier  an  instrument  in  placing  many  scalps  in 


184  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

his  power ;  and  though  he  had  designed  from  the  first  to 
execute  his  bloody  office  on  the  corporal  himself,  he  did 
not  intend  to  do  so  until  he  had  made  the  most  of  him  aa 
a  stool-pigeon.  Here  were  four  more  pale-faces  thrown  in 
his  power,  principally  by  means  of  the  confidence  he  had 
awakened  in  the  minds  of  the  missionary  and  the  soldier ; 
and  that  same  confidence  might  be  made  instrumental  in 
adding  still  more  to  the  number.  Peter  was  a  sagacious, 
even  a  far-seeing  savage,  but  he  laboured  under  the  curse 
of  ignorance.  Had  his  information  been  of  a  more  ex 
tended  nature,  he  would  have  seen  the  utter  fallacy  of  his 
project  to  destroy  the  pale-faces  altogether,  and  most  pro 
bably  would  have  abandoned  it. 

It  is  a  singular  fact  that,  while  such  men  as  Tecumthe, 
his  brother  the  Prophet,  and  Peter,  were  looking  forward 
to  the  downfall  of  the  republic  on  the  side  of  the  forest, 
so  many,  who  ought  to  have  been  better  informed  on  such 
a  subject,  were  anxiously  expecting,  nay  confidently  pre 
dicting  it,  from  beyond  the  Atlantic.  Notwithstanding 
these  sinister  soothsayers,  the  progress  of  the  nation  has, 
by  the  aid  of  a  beneficent  Providence,  been  onward  and  on 
ward,  until  it  is  scarcely  presumptuous  to  suppose  that  even 
England  has  abandoned  the  expectation  of  classing  this 
country  again  among  her  dependencies.  The  fortunes 
of  America,  under  God,  depend  only  on  herself.  America 
may  destroy  America;  of  that  there  is  danger;  but  it  is 
pretty  certain  that  Europe  united  could  make  no  serious 
impression  on  her.  Favoured  by  position,  and  filled  with 
a  population  that  we  have  ever  maintained  was  one  of  the 
most  military  in  existence,  a  truth  that  recent  events  are 
hourly  proving  to  be  true,  it  much  exceeds  the  power  of 
all  the  enemies  of  her  institutions  to  make  any  serious  im 
pression  on  her.  There  is  an  enemy  who  may  prove  too 
much  for  her:  it  exists  in  her  bosom;  and  God  alone  can 
keep  him  in  subjection,  and  repress  his  desolation. 

These  were  facts,  however,  of  which  Wa-wa-nosh,  or 
Onoah,  was  as  ignorant  as  if  he  were  an  English  or  French 
minister  of  State,  and  had  got  his  notions  of  the  country 
from  English  or  French  travellers,  who  wished  for  what 
they  predicted.  He  had  heard  of  the  towns  and  popula 
tion  of  the  republic ;  but  one  gets  a  very  imperfect  notion 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  185 

of  any  fact  of  this  sort  by  report,  unless  previous  experi 
ence  has  prepared  the  mind  to  make  the  necessary  com 
parisons,  and  fitted  it  to  receive  the  images  intended  to  be 
conveyed.  No  wonder,  then,  that  Peter  fell  into  a  mistake 
common  to  those  who  had  so  many  better  opportunities  of 
forming  just  opinions,  and  of  arriving  at  truths  that  were 
sufficiently  obvious  to  all  who  did  not  wilfully  shut  their 
eyes  to  their  existence. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Hearest  thou  voices  on  the  shore 
That  our  ears  perceive  no  more, 
Deafened  by  the  cataract's  roar? 

Bear,  through  sorrow,  wrong  and  ruth, 
In  thy  heart  the  dew  of  youth, 
On  thy  lips  the  smile  of  truth. 

LONGFELLOW. 

FROM  all  that  has  been  stated,  the  reader  will,  probably, 
be  prepared  to  learn  that  Boden  did  not  succeed  in  his 
effort  to  persuade  Gershom,  and  the  other  Christians,  to 
accompany  him  on  his  voyage  round  by  Lake  Huron. 
Corporal  Flint  was  obdurate,  and  Parson  Amen  confiding. 
As  for  Gershom,  he  did  not  like  the  thought  of  retracing 
his  steps  so  soon,  and  the  females  were  obliged  to  remain 
with  the  husband  arid  brother. 

"  You  had  better  get  out  of  the  river  while  all  the  canoes 
are  on  this  side,"  said  Margery,  as  she  and  le  Bourdon 
walked  towards  the  boats  in  company,  the  council  having 
ended,  and  everything  beginning  to  assume  the  appearance 
of  action.  "  Remember,  you  will  be  quite  alone,  and  have 
a  long,  long  road  to  travel  !" 

"  I  do  remember  al!  this,  Margery,  and  see  the  necessity 
for  all  of  us  getting  oack  to  the  settlements,  as  fast  as  we 
can.  I  don't  half  like  this  Peter ;  his  name  i»  a  bad  one 
16* 


186  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

in  the  garrisons,  and  it  makes  me  miserable  to  think  that 
you  may  be  in  his  power." 

"  The  missionary  and  the  corporal,  as  well  as  my  bro 
ther,  seem  willing  to  trust  him — what  can  two  females  do, 
when  their  male  protector  has  made  up  his  mind,  in  such 
a  matter?" 

"  One  who  would  very  gladly  be  your  protector,  pretty 
Margery,  has  not  made  up  his  mind  to  the  prudence  of 
trusting  Peter,  at  all.  Put  yourself  under  my  care,  and 
my  life  shall  be  lost,  or  I  will  carry  you  safe  to  your  friends 
in  Detroit." 

This  might  be  deemed  tol-erably  explicit ;  yet  was  it  not 
sufficiently  so  to  satisfy  female  scruples,  or  female  rights. 
Margery  blushed,  and  bhe  looked  down,  while  she  did  not 
look  absolutely  displeased.  But  her  answer  was  given 
firmly,  and  with  a  promptitude  that  showed  she  was  quite 
in  earnest. 

"  I  cannot  quit  Dorothy,  placed  as  she  is — and  it  is  my 
duty  to  die  with  brother,"  she  said. 

"  Have  you  thought  enough  of  this,  Margery?  may  not 
reflection  change  your  mind?" 

"  This  is  a  duty  on  which  a  girl  is  not  called  to  reflect ; 
she  must  feet,  in  a  matter  of  conscience." 

The  bee-hunter  fairly  sighed,  and  from  a  very  resolute, 
he  became  a  very  irresolute  sort  of  person.  As  was  natu 
ral  to  one  in  his  situation,  he  let  out  the  secret  current  his 
thoughts  had  taken,  in  the  remarks  which  followed. 

"  I  do  not  like  the  manner  in  which  Peter  and  Pigeons- 
wing  are  now  talking  together,"  he  said.  "  When  an  Injin 
is  so  earnest,  there  is  generally  mischief  brewing.  Do  you 
see  Peter's  manner?" 

"  He  seems  to  be  telling  the  young  warrior  something 
that  makes  both  forget  themselves.  I  never  saw  two  men 
who  seem  so  completely  to  forget  all  the  rest  of  the  world, 
as  them  two  savages !  What  can  be  the  meaning,  Bour 
don,  of  so  much  fierce  earnestness?" 

"I  would  give  the  world  to  know — possibly  the  Chip 
pewa  may  tell  me.  We  understand  each  other  tolerably 
well,  and,  just  as  you  spoke,  he  gave  me  a  secret  sign  that 
I  have  a  right  to  think  means  confidence  and  friendship 
That  savage  is  either  a  fast  friend,  or  a  thorough  villain." 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  187 

"  Is  it  safe  to  trust  any  of  them,  Bourdon  1 — No— no— 
your  best  way  will  be  to  go  down  the  lakes,  and  get  back 
lo  Detroit  as  soon  as  you  can.  Not  only  your  property, 
but  your  life,  is  at  risk." 

"Go,  and  leave  you  here,  Margery  —  here,  with  a  bro 
ther  whose  failing  you  know  as  well  as  I  do,  and  who  may, 
at  any  moment,  fall  back  into  his  old  ways !  I  should  not 
be  a  man  to  do  it !" 

"  But  brother  can  get  no  liquor,  now,  for  it  is  all  emptied. 
When  himself  for  a  few  days,  Gershom  is  a  good  protector, 
as  well  as  a  good  provider.  You  must  not  judge  brother 
too  harshly,  from  what  you  have  seen  of  him,  Bourdon." 

"  I  do  not  wish  to  judge  him  at  all,  Margery.  We  all 
have  our  failin's,  and  whiskey  is  his.  I  dare  say  mine  are 
quite  as  bad,  in  some  other  way.  It's  enough  for  me, 
Margery,  that  Gershom  is  your  brother,  to  cause  me  to  try 
to  think  well  of  him.  We  must  not  trust  to  there  being 
no  more  liquor  among  us;  for,  if  that  so'ger  is  altogether 
without  his  rations,  he's  the  first  so'ger  I  ever  met  who 
was !" 

"  But  this  corporal  is  a  friend  of  the  minister,  and  minis 
ters  ought  not  to  drink  !" 

"  Ministers  are  like  other  men,  as  them  that  live  much 
among  'em  will  soon  find  out.  Hows' ever,  if  you  will  stay, 
Margery,  there  is  no  more  to  be  said.  I  must  cache*  my 
honey,  and  get  the  canoe  ready  to  go  up  stream  again. 
Where  you  go,  Margery,  I  go  too,  unless  you  tell  me  that 
you  do  not  wish  my  company." 

This  was  said  quietly,  but  in  the  manner  of  one  whose 
mind  was  made  up.  Margery  scarce  knew  how  to  take  it. 
That  she  was  secretly  delighted,  cannot  be  denied ;  while, 
at  the  same  time,  that  she  felt  a  generous  and  lively  con 
cern  for  the  fortunes  of  le  Bourdon,  is  quite  as  certain. 
As  Gershom  just  then  called  to  her  to  lend  her  assistance 
in  preparing  to  embark,  she  had  no  leisure  for  expostula 
tion,  nor  do  we  know  that  she  now  seriously  wished  to 
divert  the  bee-hunter  from  his  purpose. 

It  was  soon  understood  by  every  one  that  the  river  was 

•  A  western  term,  obviously  derived  from  cacher,  to  ccnceal. 
Cache  is  much  used  by  the  western  adventurers. 


188  THE     OAK    OPENINGS. 

to  be  crossed,  in  order  that  Gershom  might  get  his  house 
hold  effects,  previously  to  ascending  the  Kalaraazoo.  This 
set  all  at  work  but  the  Chippewa,  who  appeared  to  le  Bour 
don  to  be  watchful  and  full  of  distrust.  As  the  latter  had 
a  job  before  him  that  would  be  likely  to  consume  a  couple 
of  hours,  the  others  were  ready  for  a  start  long  before  he 
had  his  hole  dug.  It  was  therefore  arranged  that  the  bee- 
hunter  should  complete  his  task,  while  the  others  crossed 
the  stream,  and  went  in  quest  of  Gershom's  scanty  stock 
of  household  goods.  Pigeonswing,  however,  was  not  to  be 
found,  when  the  canoes  were  ready,  and  Peter  proceeded 
without  him.  Nor  did  le  Bourdon  see  anything  of  his 
friend  until  the  adventurers  were  fairly  on  the  north  shore, 
when  he  rejoined  le  Bourdon,  sitting  on  a  log,  a  curious 
spectator  of  the  latter's  devices  to  conceal  his  property,  but 
not  offering  to  aid  him  in  a  single  movement.  The  bee- 
hunter  too  well  understood  an  Indian  warrior's  aversion  to 
labour  of  all  sorts,  unless  it  be  connected  with  his  military 
achievements,  to  be  surprised  at  his  companion's  indiffer 
ence  to  his  own  toil.  As  the  work  went  on,  a  friendly  dia 
logue  was  kept  up  between  the  parties. 

"  I  didn't  know,  Pigeonswing,  but  you  had  started  for 
the  openings,  before  us,"  observed  le  Bourdon.  "  That 
tribeless  old  Injin  made  something  of  a  fuss  about  your 
being  out  of  the  way ;  I  dare  say  he  wanted  you  to  help 
back  the  furniture  down  to  the  canoes." 

"  Got  squaw — what  he  want  better  to  do  dat." 

"  So  you  would  put  that  pretty  piece  of  work  on  such 
persons  as  Margery  and  Dolly  !" 

"  Why  not,  no?  Bot'  squaw  —  bot'  know  how.  Dere 
business  to  work  for  warrior." 

"  Did  you  keep  out  of  the  way,  then,  lest  old  Peter  should 
get  you  at  a  job  that  is  onsuitable  to  your  manhood  ?" 

"  Keep  out  of  way  of  Pottawattamie,"  returned  the 
Chippewa;  "  no  want  to  lose  scalp — radder  take  his'n." 

"  But  Peter  says  the  Pottawattamies  are  all  gone,  and 
that  we  have  no  longer  any  reason  to  fear  them ;  and  this 
medicine-priest  tells  us,  that  what  Peter  says  we  can  de 
pend  on  for  truth." 

"  Dat  good  medicine-man,  eh?  T'ink  he  know  a  great, 
great  deal,  eh?" 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  189 

"  That  is  more  than  I  can  tell  you,  Pigeonswing ;  for, 
though  I've  been  a  medicine-man  myself,  so  lately,  it  is  in 
a  different  line  altogether  from  that  of  Parson  Amen's." 

As  the  bee-hunter  uttered  this  answer,  he  was  putting 
the  last  of  his  honey-kegs  into  the  cache,  and  as  he  rose 
from  completing  the  operation,  he  laughed  heartily,  like 
one  who  saw  images  in  the  occurrences  of  the  past  night, 
that  tended  to  divert  himself,  if  they  had  not  the  same  effect 
on  the  other  spectators. 

"If  you  medicine-man,  can  tell  who  Peter  be?  Winne- 
bagoe,  Sioux,  Fox,  Ojebway,  Six  Nation,  all  say  don't 
know  him.  Medicine-man  ought  to  know  —  who  he  be, 
eh?" 

"  I  am  not  enough  of  a  medicine-man  to  answer  your 
question,  Pigeonswing.  Set  me  at  finding  a  Whiskey 
Spring,  or  any  little  job  of  that  sort,  and  I  '11  turn  my  back 
to  no  other  Whiskey  Spring  finder  on  the  whole  frontier  ; 
but,  as  for  Peter,  he  goes  beyond  my  calculations,  quite. 
Why  is  he  called  Scalping  Peter  in  the  garrisons,  if  he  be 
so  good  an  Injin,  Chippewa?" 

"  You  ask  question — you  answer.  Don't  know,  'less  he 
take  a  good  many  scalp.  Hear  he  do  take  all  he  can  find, 
— den  hear  he  don't." 

"But  you  take  all  you  can  find,  Pigeonswing;  and  that 
which  is  good  in  you,  cannot  be  so  bad  in  Peter." 

"  Don't  take  scalp  from  friend. — When  you  hear  Pigeons- 
wing  scalp  friend,  eh?" 

"  I  never  did  hear  it ;  and  hope  I  never  shall.  But  when 
did  you  hear  that  Peter  is  so  wicked  ?" 

"  S'pose  he  don't,  'cause  he  got  no  friend  among  pale 
face.  Bes'  take  care  of  dat  man  !" 

"  I  'm  of  your  way  of  thinking,  myself,  Chippewa  ;  though 
the  corporal  and  the  priest  think  him  all  in  all.  When  I 
asked  Parson  Amen  how  he  came  to  be  the  associate  of 
one  who  went  by  a  scalping  name,  even,  he  told  me  it  was 
nllname;  that  Peter  hadn't  touched  a  hair  of  a  human 
head,  in  the  way  of  scalping,  since  his  youth,  and  that  most 
of  his  notions  and  ways  was  quite  Jewish.  The  parson 
has  almost  as  much  faith  in  Peter,  as  he  has  in  his  reli 
gion;  I'm  not  quite  sure  he  has  not  even  more." 


190  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

"  No  matter. — Bes'  always  for  pale-face  to  trust  pale 
face,  and  Injin  to  trust  Injin.  Dat  most  likely  to  be  right." 

"  Nevertheless,  I  trust  you,  Pigeonswing ;  and,  hitherto, 
you  have  not  deceived  me !" 

The  Chippewa  cast  a  glance  of  so  much  meaning  on  the 
bee-hunter,  that  the  last  was  troubled  by  it.  For  many  a 
day  did  le  Bourdon  remember  that  look;  and  painful  were 
the  apprehensions  to  which  it  gave  birth.  Until  that  morn 
ing,  the  intercourse  between  the  two  had  been  of  the  most 
confidential  character ;  but  something  like  a  fierce  hatred 
was  blended  in  that  look.  Could  it  be  that  the  feelings  of 
the  Chippewa  were  changed?  and  was  it  possible  that 
Peter  was  in  any  way  connected  with  this  alteration  in  looks 
and  sentiments?  All  these  suspicions  passed  through  le 
Bourdon's  mind,  as  he  finished  his  cache;  and  sufficiently 
disagreeable  did  he  find  it  to  entertain  them.  The  circum 
stances,  however,  did  not  admit  of  any  change  of  plan ; 
and,  in  a  few  minutes,  the  two  were  in  the  canoe,  and  on 
their  way  to  join  their  companions. 

Peter  had  dealt  fairly  enough  with  those  who  accompa 
nied  him.  The  Pottawattarnies  were  nowhere  to  be  seen, 
and  Gershom  led  the  corporal  to  the  place  where  his  house 
hold  goods  had  been  secreted,  in  so  much  confidence,  that 
both  the  men  left  their  arms  behind  them.  Such  was  the 
state  of  things  when  le  Bourdon  reached  the  north  shore. 
The  young  man  was  startled,  when  his  eyes  first  fell  on  the 
rifles  ;  but,  on  looking  around,  there  did  not  really  appear 
to  be  any  sufficient  reason  why  they  might  not  be  laid 
aside,  for  a  few  minutes. 

The  bee-hunter,  having  disposed  of  all  his  honey,  had 
now  a  nearly  empty  canoe;  accordingly,  he  received  a 
portion  of  Gershom's  effects;  all  of  which  were  safely- 
transported  from  their  place  of  concealment  to  the  water 
side.  Their  owner  was  slowly  recovering  the  use  of  his 
body  and  mind,  though  still  a  little  dull,  from  his  recent 
debauch.  The  females  supplied  his  place,  however,  in 
many  respects;  and  two  hours  after  the  party  had  landed, 
it  was  ready  again  to  proceed  on  its  journey  into  the  inte* 
rior.  The  last  article  was  stowed  in  one  of  the  canoes, 
and  Gershom  announced  his  willingness  to  depart. 

At  this  moment,  Peter  led  the  bee-hunter  aside,  telling 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  191 

his  friends,  that  he  would  speedily  rejoin  them.  Our  hero 
followed  his  savage  leader  along  the  foot  of  the  declivity, 
in  the  rear  of  the'hut,  until  the  former  stopped  at  the  place 
where  the  first,  and  principal  fire  of  the  past  night,  had 
heen  lighted.  Here  Peter  made  a  sweeping  gesture  of  his 
hand,  as  if  to  invite  his  companion  to  survey  the  different 
objects  around.  As  this  characteristic  gesture  was  made, 
tiie  Indian  spoke. 

"  My  brother  is  a  medicine-man,"  he  said.  "  He  knows 
where  whiskey  grows — let  him  tell  Peter  where  to  find  the 
spring." 

The  recollection  of  the  scene  of  the  previous  night,  came 
BO  fresh  and  vividly  over  the  imagination  of  the  bee-hunter, 
that,  instead  of  answering  the  question  of  the  chief,  he 
burst  into  a  hearty  fit  of  laughter.  Then,  fearful  of  giving 
offence,  he  was  about  to  apologize  for  a  mirth  so  ill-timed, 
when  the  Indian  smiled,  with  a  gleam  of  intelligence  on 
his  swarthy  face,  that  seemed  to  say,  "  I  understand  it 
all,"  and  continued — 

"  Good — the  chief  with  three  eyes" — in  allusion  to  the 
spy-glass  that  le  Bourdon  always  carried  suspended  from 
his  neck — "  is  a  very  great  medicine-man  ;  he  knows  when 
to  laugh,  and  when  to  look  sad.  The  Poltawattamies 
were  dry,  and  he  wanted  to  find  them  some  whiskey  to 
drink,  but  could  not — our  brother,  in  the  canoe,  had  drunk 
it  all.  Good." 

Again  the  bee-hunter  laughed  ;  and  though  Peter  did 
not  join  in  his  mirth,  it  was  quite  plain  that  he  understood 
its  cause.  With  this  good-natured  sort  of  intelligence 
between  them,  the  two  returned  to  the  canoes;  the  bee- 
hunter  always  supposing  that  the  Indian  had  obtained  his 
object,  in  receiving  his  indirect  admission,  that  the  scene 
of  the  previous  night  had  been  merely  a  piece  of  ingenious 
jugglery.  So  much  of  a  courtier,  however,  was  Peter,  and 
so  entire  his  self-command,  that  on  no  occasion,  after 
wards,  did  he  ever  make  any  further  allusion  to  the  subject. 

The  ascent  of  the  river  was  now  commenced.  It  wa? 
not  a  difficult  matter  for  le  Bourdon  to  persuade  Margery, 
that  her  brother's  canoe  would  be  too  heavily  loaded  for 
such  ;i  passage,  unless  she  consented  to  quit  it  for  his  own. 


192  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

Pigeonswing  took  the  girl's  place,  and  was  of  material 
assistance  in  forcing  the  light,  but  steady  craft,  up  stream. 
The  three  others  continued  in  the  canoe  in  which  they  had 
entered  the  river.  With  this  arrangement,  therefore,  our 
adventurers  commenced  this  new  journey. 

Every  reader  will  easily  understand,  that  ascending  such 
a  stream  as  the  Kalamazoo,  was  a  very  different  thing  from 
descending  it.  The  progress  was  slow,  and  at  many  pointa 
laborious.  At  several  of  the  "  rifts,"  it  became  necessary 
to  "  track"  the  canoes  up;  and  places  occurred,  at  which, 
the  only  safe  way  of  proceeding  was  to  unload  them  alto 
gether,  arid  transport  boats,  cargoes  and  all,  on  the  shoul 
ders  of  the  men,  across  what  are  called,  in  the  language 
of  the  country,  "  portages,"  or  "  carrying-places."  In 
such  toil  as  this,  the  corporal  was  found  to  be  very  service 
able  ;  but  neither  of  the  Indians  declined  to  lend  their 
assistance,  in  work  of  this  manly  character.  By  this  time, 
moreover,  Gershom  had  come  round,  and  was  an  able- 
bodied,  vigorous  assistant,  once  more.  If  the  corporal 
was  the  master  of  any  alcohol,  he  judiciously  kept  it  a 
secret;  for,  not  a  drop  passed  any  one's  lips  during  the 
whole  of  that  toilsome  journey. 

Although  the  difficult  places  in  the  river  were  sufficiently 
numerous,  most  of  the  reaches  were  places  having  steady, 
but  not  swift  currents  towards  the  lake.  In  these  reaches 
the  paddles,  and  those  not  very  vigorously  applied,  enabled 
the  travellers  to  advance  as  fast  as  was  desirable;  and  such 
tranquil  waters  were  a  sort  of  resting-places  to  those  who 
managed  the  canoes.  It  was  while  ascending  these  easy 
channels,  that  conversation  most  occurred ;  each  speaker 
yielding,  as  was  natural,  to  the  impulses  of  the  thoughts 
uppermost  in  his  mind.  The  missionary  talked  much  of 
the  Jews;  and,  as  the  canoes  came  near  each  other,  he 
entered  at  large,  with  their  different  occupants,  into  the 
reasons  he  had  for  believing  that  the  red  men  of  America 
were  the  lost  tribes  of  Israel.  "  The  very  use  of  the  word 
'  tribes,'  "  would  this  simple-minded,  and  not  very  profound 
expounder  of  the  word  of  God,  say,  "  is  one  proof  of  the 
truth  of  what  I  tell  you.  Now,  no  one  thinks  of  dividing 
the  white  men  of  America  into  '  tribes.'  Who  ever  heard 
of  the  '  tribe'  of  New  England,  or  of  the  '  tribe'  of  Virginia, 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  19.3 

or  of  the  <  tribe'  of  the  Middle  States  1*  Even  among  the 
blacks,  there  are  no  tribes.  There  is  a  very  remarkable 
passage  in  the  sixty-eighth  Psalm,  that  has  greatly  struck 
me,  since  my  mind  has  turned  to  this  subject;  'God  shall 
wound  the  head  of  his  enemies,'  saith  the  Psalmist,  '  and 
the  hairy  scalp  of  such  a  one  as  goeth  on  still  in  his  wick 
edness.'  Here  is  a  very  obvious  allusion  to  a  well-known, 
and,  what  we  think,  a  barbarous  practice  of  the  red  men ; 
but,  rely  on  it,  friends,  nothing  that  is  permitted  on  earth 
is  permitted  in  vain.  The  attentive  reader  of  the  inspired 
book,  by  gleaning  here  and  there,  can  collect  together 
much  authority  for  this  new  opinion  about  the  lost  tribes ; 
and  the  day  will  come,  I  do  not  doubt,  when  men  will 
marvel  that  the  truth  hath  been  so  long  hidden  from  them. 
I  can  scarcely  open  a  chapter,  in  the  Old  Testament,  that 
some  passage  does  not  strike  me  as  going  to  prove  this 
identity,  between  the  red  men  and  the  Hebrews ;  and, 
were  they  all  collected  together,  and  published  in  a  book, 
mankind  would  be  astonished  at  their  lucidity  and  weight. 
As  for  scalping,  it  is  a  horrid  thing  in  our  eyes,  but  it  is 
honourable  with  the  red  men  ;  and  I  have  quoted  to  you 
the  words  of  the  Psalmist,  in  order  to  show  the  manner  in 
which  divine  wisdom  inflicts  penalties  on  sin.  Here  ia 
plain  justification  of  the  practice,  provided  always  that  the 
sufferer  be  in  the  bondage  of  transgression,  and  obnoxious 
to  divine  censure.  Let  no  man,  therefore,  in  the  pride  of 
his  learning,  and,  perhaps,  of  his  prosperity,  disdain  to 
believe  things  that  are  so  manifestly  taught  and  foretold; 

*  The  reader  is  not  to  infer  any  exaggeration  in  this  picture. 
There  is  no  end  to  the  ignorance  and  folly  of  sects  and  parties, 
when  religious  or  political  zeal  runs  high.  The  writer  well  re 
members  to  have  heard  a  Universalist,  of  more  zeal  than  learning, 
adduce,  as  an  argument  in  favour  of  his  doctrine,  the  twenty-fifth 
chapter  and  forty-sixth  verse  of  St.  Matthew,  where,  we  are  told, 
that  the  wicked  "  shall  go  away  into  everlasting  punishment ;  but 
the  righteous  into  life  eternal;''  by  drawing  a  distinction  between 
the  adjectives ;  and  this  so  much  the  more,  because  the  Old  Tes 
tament  speaks  of  "everlasting  hills,"  and  "everlasting  valleys:" 
thus  proving,  from  the  Bible,  a  substantial  difference  between  "ever 
lasting"  and  "  eternal."  Now,  every  sophomore  knows,  that  the 
word  used  in  Matthew  is  the  same,  in  both  cases,  being  "owittfou," 
or  "  existing  for  ever." 

17 


194  THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

but  let  us  all  bow  in  humble  submission  to  the  will  of  a 
Being  who,  to  our  finite  understanding,  is  so  perfectly  in 
comprehensible." 

We  trust  that  no  one  of  our  readers  will  be  disposed  to 
deride  Parson  Amen's  speculations  on  this  interesting  sub 
ject,  although  this  may  happen  to  be  the  first  occasion  on 
which  he  has  ever  heard  the  practice  of  taking  scalps  jus* 
tified  by  Scripture.  Viewed  in  a  proper  spirit,  they  ought 
merely  to  convey  a  lesson  of  humility,  by  rendering  appa 
rent  the  wisdom,  nay  the  necessity,  of  men's  keeping  them 
selves  within  the  limits  of  the  sphere  of  knowledge  they 
were  designed  to  fill,  and  convey,  when  rightly  considered, 
as  much  of  a  lesson  to  the  Puseyite,  with  abstractions  that 
are  quite  as  unintelligible  to  himself  as  they  are  to  others ; 
to  the  high-wrought  and  dogmatical  Calvinist,  who,  in  the 
midst  of  his  fiery  zeal,  forgets  that  love  is  the  very  essence 
of  the  relation  between  God  and  man;  to  the  Quaker,  who 
seems  to  think  the  cut  of  a  coat  essential  to  salvation;  to 
the  descendant  of  the  Puritan,  who,  whether  he  be  Soci- 
nian,  Calvinist,  Universalist,  or  any  other  '  ist/  appears  to 
believe  that  the  "  rock"  on  which  Christ  declared  he  would 
found  his  church  was  the  '  Rock  of  Plymouth ;'  and  to  the 
unbeliever,  who,  in  deriding  all  creeds,  does  not  know 
where  to  turn  to  find  one  to  substitute  in  their  stead.  Hu 
mility,  in  matters  of  this  sort,  is  the  great  lesson  that  all 
should  teach  and  learn  ;  for  it  opens  the  way  to  charity,  and 
eventually  to  faith,  and  through  both  of  these  to  hope ; 
finally,  through  all  of  these,  to  heaven. 

The  journey  up  the  Kalamazoo  lasted  many  days,  the 
ascent  being  often  so  painful,  and  no  one  seeming  in  a 
hurry.  Peter  waited  for  the  time  set  for  his  council  to 
approach,  and  was  as  well  content  to  remain  in  his  canoe, 
as  to  '  camp  out'  in  the  openings.  Gershom  never  was  in 
haste,  while  the  bee-hunter  would  have  been  satisfied  to 
pass  the  summer  in  so  pleasant  a  manner,  Margery  being 
seated  most  of  the  time  in  his  canoe.  In  his  ordinary  ex 
cursions,  le  Bourdon  carried  the  mastiff  as  a  companion ; 
but,  now  that  his  place  was  so  much  better  filled,  Hive  was 
suffered  to  roam  the  woods  that  lined  most  of  the  river- 
banks,  joining  his  master  from  time  to  time  at  the  portages 
or  landings. 


THE     OAK    OPENINGS.  195 

As  for  the  missionary  and  the  corporal,  impatience  formed 
no  part  of  their  present  disposition.  The  first  had  been 
led,  by  the  artful  Peter,  to  expect  great  results  to  his  theory 
from  the  assembly  of  chiefs  which  was  to  meet  in  the 
"  openings ;"  and  the  credulous  parson  was,  in  one  sense, 
going  as  blindly  on  the  path  of  destruction,  as  any  sinner 
it  had  ever  been  his  duty  to  warn  of  his  fate,  was  proceeding 
in  the  same  direction  in  another.  The  corporal,  too,  was 
the  dupe  of  Peter's  artifices.  This  man  had  heard  so  many 
stories  to  the  Indian's  prejudice,  at  the  different  posts  where 
he  had  been  stationed,  as  at  first  to  render  him  exceedingly 
averse  to  making  the  present  journey  in  his  company.  The 
necessity  of  the  case,  as  connected  with  the  preservation 
of  his  own  life  after  the  massacre  of  Fort  Dearborn,  and 
the  influence  of  the  missionary,  had  induced  him  to  over 
look  his  ancient  prejudices,  and  to  forget  opinions  that,  it 
now  occurred  to  him,  had  been  founded  in  error.  Once 
fairly  within  the  influence  of  Peter's  wiles,  a  simple-rninded 
soldier,  like  the  corporal,  was  soon  completely  made  the 
Indian's  dupe.  By  the  time  the  canoe  reached  the  mouth 
of  the  Kalamazoo,  as  has  been  related,  each  of  these  men 
placed  the  most  implicit  reliance  on  the  good  faith  and 
friendly  feelings  of  the  very  being  whose  entire  life,  both 
sleeping  and  waking  thoughts,  were  devoted,  not  only  to 
his  destruction,  but  to  that  of  the  whole  white  race  on  the 
American  continent.  So  bland  was  the  manner  of  this 
terrible  savage,  when  it  comported  with  his  views  to  con 
ceal  his  ruthless  designs,  that  persons  more  practised  and 
observant  than  either  of  his  two  companions  might  have 
been  its  dupes,  not  to  say  its  victims.  While  the  missionary 
was  completely  mystified  by  his  own  headlong  desire  to 
establish  a  theory,  and  to  announce  to  the  religious  world 
where  the  lost  tribes  were  to  be  found,  the  corporal  had 
aided  in  deceiving  himself,  also,  by  another  process.  With 
him,  Peter  had  privately  conversed  of  war,  and  had  insinu 
ated  that  he  was  secretly  labouring  in  behalf  of  his  great 
father  at  Washington,  and  against  the  other  great  father 
down  at  Montreal.  As  between  the  two,  Peter  professed 
to  lean  to  the  interests  of  the  first;  though,  had  he  laid 
bare  his  inmost  soul,  a  fiery  hatred  of  each  would  have 
been  found  to  be  its  predominate  feeling  But  Corporal 


196  THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

Flint  fondly  fancied  he  was  making  a  concealed  march 
with  an  ally,  while  he  thus  accompanied  one  of  the  fiercest 
enemies  of  his  race. 

Peter  is  not  to  be  judged  too  harshly.  It  is  always-re 
spectable  to  defend  the  fireside,  and  the  land  of  one's  na 
tivity,  although  the  cause  connected  with  it  may  be  some 
times  wrong.  This  Indian  knew  nothing  of  the  principles 
of  colonization,  and  had  no  conception  that  any  other  than 
its  original  owners — original  so  far  as  his  traditions  reached 
— could  have  a  right  to  his  own  hunting-grounds.  Of  the 
slow  but  certain  steps  by  which  an  overruling  Providence 
is  extending  a  knowledge  of  the  true  God,  and  of  the  great 
atonement  through  the  death  of  his  blessed  Son,  Peter  had 
no  conception  ;  nor  would  it  probably  have  seemed  right  to 
his  contracted  mind,  had  he  even  seen  and  understood  this 
general  tendency  of  things.  To  him,  the  pale-face  ap 
peared  only  as  a  rapacious  invader,  and  not  a  creature 
obeying  the  great  law  of  his  destiny,  the  end  of  which  is 
doubtless  to  help  knowledge  to  abound,  until  it  shall  "  cover 
the  whole  earth  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea/3  Hatred,  in 
extinguishable  and  active  hatred,  appeared  to  be  the  law 
of  this  man's  being;  and  he  devoted  all  the  means,  aided 
by  all  the  intelligence  he  possessed,  to  the  furtherance  of 
his  narrow  and  short-sighted  means  of  vengeance  and  re 
dress.  In  all  this,  he  acted  in  common  with  Tecumthe 
and  his  brother,  though  his  consummate  art  kept  him  be 
hind  a  veil,  while  the  others  were  known  and  recognised 
as  open  and  active  foes.  No  publication  speaks  of  this 
Peter,  nor  does  any  orator  enumerate  his  qualities,  while 
the  other  two  chiefs  have  been  the  subjects  of  every  species 
of  descriptive  talent,  from  that  of  the  poet  to  that  of  the 
painter. 

As  day  passed  after  day,  the  feeling  of  distrust  in  the 
bosom  of  the  bee-hunter  grew  weaker  and  weaker,  and 
Peter  succeeded  in  gradually  worming  himself  into  his  con 
fidence  also.  This  was  done,  moreover,  without  any  ap 
parent  effort.  The  Indian  made  no  professions  of  friend 
ship,  laid  himself  out  for  no  particular  attention,  nor  ever 
seemed  to  care  how  his  companions  regarded  his  deport 
ment.  His  secret  purposes  he  kept  carefully  smothered  in 
his  OWL  breast,  it  is  true ;  but,  beyond  that,  no  other  sign 


THE    OAK     OPENINGS.  197 

of  duplicity  could  have  been  discovered,  even  by  one  who 
knew  his  objects  and  schemes.  So  profound  was  his  art, 
that  it  had  the  aspect  of  nature.  Pigeonswing  alone  was 
alive  to  the  danger  of  this  man's  company ;  and  he  knew 
it  only  by  means  of  certain  semi-confidential  communica 
tions  received  in  his  character  of  a  red  man.  It  was  no 
part  of  Peter's  true  policy  to  become  an  ally  to  either  of 
the  great  belligerents  of  the  day.  On  the  contrary,  his 
ardent  wish  was  to  see  them  destroy  each  other,  and  it  was 
the  sudden  occurrence  of  the  present  war  that  had  given 
a  new  impulse  to  his  hopes,  and  a  new  stimulus  to  his 
efforts,  as  a  time  most  propitious  to  his  purposes.  He  was 
perfectly  aware  of  the  state  of  the  Chippewa's  feelings, 
and  he  knew  that  this  man  was  hostile  to  the  Pottawatta- 
mies,  as  well  as  to  most  of  the  tribes  of  Michigan ;  but 
this  made  no  difference  with  Mm.  If  Pigeonswing  took 
the  scalp  of  a  white  man,  he  cared  not  whether  it  grew  on 
an  English  or  an  American  head ;  in  either  case,  it  was  the 
destruction  of  kis  enemy.  With  such  a  policy  constantly 
in  view,  it  cannot  be  matter  of  surprise  that  Peter  continued 
on  just  as  good  terms  with  Pigeonswing  as  with  Crowsfea- 
ther.  But  one  precaution  was  observed  in  his  intercourse 
with  the  first.  To  Crowsfeather,  then  on  the  war-path  in 
quest  of  Yankee  scalps,  he  had  freely  communicated  his 
designs  on  his  own  white  companions,  while  he  did  not 
dare  to  confide  to  the  Chippewa  this  particular  secret,  since 
that  Indian's  relations  with  the  bee-hunter  were  so  amicable 
as  to  be  visible  to  every  observer.  Peter  felt  the  necessity 
of  especial  caution  in  his  communication  with  this  savage, 
therefore ;  and  this  was  the  reason  why  the  Chippewa  was 
in  so  much  painful  uncertainty  as  to  the  other's  intentions. 
He  had  learned  enough  to  be  distrustful,  but  not  enough  to 
act  with  decision. 

Once,  and  once  only,  during  their  slow  passage  up  the 
Kalamazoo,  did  the  bee-hunter  observe  something  about 
Peter  to  awaken  his  original  apprehensions.  The  fourth  day 
after  leaving  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  when  the  whole 
party  were  resting  after  the  toil  of  passing  a  "  carrying- 
place,"  our  hero  had  observed  the  eyes  of  that  tribeless 
savage  roaming  from  one  white  face  to  another,  with  an 
expression  in  them  so  very  fiendish,  as  actually  to  cause 
17* 


198  THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

his  heart  to  beat  quicker  than  common.  The  look  was 
such  an  one  as  le  Bourdon  could  not  remember  to  have 
ever  before  beheld  in  a  human  countenance.  In  point  of 
fact,  he  had  seen  Peter  in  one  of  those  moments  when  the 
pent  fires  of  the  volcano,  that  ceaselessly  raged  within 
his  bosom,  were  becoming  difficult  to  suppress ;  and  when 
memory  was  busiest  in  recalling  to  his  imagination  scenes 
of  oppression  and  wrong,  that  the  white  man  is  only  too 
apt  to  forget  amid  the  ease  of  his  civilization,  and  the  se 
curity  of  his  power.  But  the  look,  and  the  impression 
produced  by  it  on  le  Bourdon,  soon  passed  away,  and  were 
forgotten  by  him  to  whom  it  might  otherwise  have  proved 
to  be  a  most  useful  warning. 

It  was  a  little  remarkable  that  Margery  actually  grew  to 
be  attached  to  Peter,  often  manifesting  towards  the  chief 
attentions  and  feelings  such  as  a  daughter  is  apt  to  exhibit 
towards  a  father.  This  arose  from  the  high  and  courteous 
bearing  of  this  extraordinary  savage.  At  all  times,  an  In 
dian  warrior  is  apt  to  maintain  the  dignified  and  courteous 
bearing  that  has  so  often  been  remarked  in  the  race,  but  it 
is  very  seldom  that  he  goes  out  of  his  way  to  manifest  atten 
tion  to  the  squaws.  Doubtless  these  men  have  the  feelings 
of  humanity,  and  love  their  wives  and  offspring  like  others; 
but  it  is  so  essential  apart  of  their  training  to  suppress  the 
exhibition  of  such  emotions,  that  it  is  seldom  the  mere 
looker-on  has  occasion  to  note  them.  Peter,  however,  had 
neither  wife  nor  child ;  or  if  they  existed,  no  one  knew 
where  either  was  to  be  found.  The  same  mystery  shrouded 
this  part  of  his  history  as  veiled  all  the  rest.  In  his  hunts, 
various  opportunities  occurred  for  exhibiting  to  the  females 
manly  attentions,  by  offering  to  them  the  choicest  pieces 
of  his  game,  and  pointing  out  the  most  approved  Indian 
modes  of  cooking  the  meats,  so  as  to  preserve  their  savoury 
properties.  This  he  did  sparingly  at  first,  and  as  a  part  of 
.a  system  of  profound  deception ;  but  day  by  day,  and  hour 
after  hour,  most  especially  with  Margery,  did  his  manner 
become  sensibly  less  distant,  and  more  natural.  The  art- 
lessness,  the  gentle  qualities,  blended  with  feminine  spirit 
as  they  were,  and  the  innocent  gaiety  of  the  girl,  appeared 
to  win  on  this  nearly  remorseless  savage,  in  spite  of  his 
efforts  to  resist  her  influence.  Perhaps  the  beauty  of  Mar- 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  199 

gery  contributed  its  share  in  exciting  these  novel  emotions 
in  the  breast  of  one  so  stern.  We  do  not  mean  that  Peter 
yielded  to  feelings  akin  to  love ;  of  this,  he  was  in  a  man 
ner  incapable ;  but  a  man  can  submit  to  a  gentle  regard 
for  woman  that  shall  be  totally  free  from  passion.  This 
sort  of  regard  Peter  certainly  began  to  entertain  for  Mar 
gery  ;  and  like  begetting  like,  as  money  produces  money, 
it  is  not  surprising  that  the  confidence  of  the  girl  herself, 
as  well  as  her  sympathies,  should  continue  to  increase  in 
the  favour  of  this  terrible  Indian. 

But  the  changes  of  feeling,  and  the  various  little  inci 
dents  to  which  we  have  alluded,  did  not  occur  in  a  single 
moment  of  time.  Day  passed  after  day,  and  still  the  canoes 
were  working  their  way  up  the  winding  channels  of  the 
Kalamazoo,  placing  at  each  setting  sun  longer  and  longer 
reaches  of  its  sinuous  stream  between  the  travellers  and 
the  broad  sheet  of  Michigan.  As  le  Bourdon  had  been  up 
and  down  the  river  often,  in  his  various  excursions,  he  acted 
as  the  pilot  of  the  navigation ;  though  all  worked,  even 
to  the  missionary  and  the  Chippewa.  On  such  an  expedi 
tion,  toil  was  not  deemed  to  be  discreditable  to  a  warrior, 
and  Pigeonswing  used  the  paddle  and  the  pole  as  willingly, 
and  with  as  much  dexterity,  as  any  of  the  party. 

It  was  only  on  the  eleventh  day  after  quitting  the  mouth 
of  the  river,  that  the  canoes  came-to  in  the  little  bay  where 
le  Bourdon  was  in  the  habit  of  securing  his  light  bark, 
when  in  the  openings.  Castle  Meal  was  in  full  view, 
standing  peacefully  in  its  sweet  solitude;  and  Hive,  who, 
as  he  came  within  the  range  of  his  old  hunts,  had  started 
off,  and  got  to  the  spot  the  previous  evening,  now  stood  on 
the  bank  of  the  river  to  welcome  his  master  and  his  friends 
to  the  chiente.  It  wanted  a  few  minutes  of  sunset  as  the 
travellers  landed,  and  the  parting  rays  of  the  great  luminary 
of  our  system  were  glancing  through  the  various  glades  of 
the  openings,  imparting  a  mellow  softness  to  the  herbage 
and  flowers.  So  far  as  the  bee-hunter  could  perceive,  not 
even  a  bear  had  visited  the  place  in  his  absence.  On 
ascending  to  his  abode  and  examining  the  fastenings,  and 
on  entering  the  hut,  store-house,  &.C.,  le  Bourdon  became 
satisfied  that  all  the  property  he  had  left  behind  was  safe, 
and  that  the  foot  of  man — he  almost  thought  of  beast  too 
— had  not  visited  the  spot  at  all  during  the  last  fortnight 


200  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Hope  in  your  mountains,  and  hope  in  your  streams, 
Bow  down  in  their  worship,  and  loudly  pray; 

Trust  in  your  strength,  and  believe  in  your  dreams, 
But  the  wind  shall  carry  them  all  away. 


THE  week  which  succeeded  the  arrival  of  our  party  at 
Chateau  au  MieJ,  or  Castle  Meal,  as  le  Bourdon  used  to 
call  his  abode,  was  one  of  very  active  labour.  It  was  ne 
cessary  to  house  the  adventurers,  and  the  little  habitation 
already  built  was  quite  insufficient  for  such  a  purpose.  It 
was  given  to  the  females,  who  used  it  as  a  private  apart 
ment  for  themselves,  while  the  cooking,  eating,  and  even 
sleeping,  so  far  as  the  males  were  concerned,  were  all  done 
beneath  the  trees  of  the  openings.  But  a  new  chientt  was 
soon  constructed,  which,  though  wanting  in  the  complete 
ness  and  strength  of  Castle  Meal,  was  sufficient  for  the 
wants  of  these  sojourners  in  a  wilderness.  It  is  surprising 
with  how  little  of  those  comforts  which  civilization  induces 
us  to  regard  as  necessaries  we  can  get  along,  when  cast 
into  the  midst  of  the  western  wilds.  The  female  whose 
foot  has  trodden,  from  infancy  upward,  on  nothing  harder 
than  a  good  carpet  —  who  has  been  reared  amid  all  the  ap 
pliances  of  abundance  and  art,  seems  at  once  to  change 
her  nature,  along  with  her  habits,  and  often  proves  a  he 
roine,  and  an  active  assistant,  when  there  was  so  much 
reason  to  apprehend  she  might  turn  out  to  be  merely  an 
encumbrance.  In  the  course  of  a  life  that  is  now  getting 
to  be  well  stored  with  experience  of  this  sort,  as  well  as  of 
many  other  varieties,  we  can  recall  a  hundred  cases  of 
women,  who  were  born  and  nurtured  in  affluence  and 
abundance,  who  have  cheerfully  quitted  the  scenes  of  youth, 
their  silks  and  satins,  their  china  and  plate,  their  mahogany 
and  Brussels,  to  follow  husbands  and  fathers  into  the  wil 
derness,  there  to  compete  with  the  savage,  often  for  food, 
and  always  for  the  final  possession  of  the  soil  ! 


THE     OAK    OPENINGS.  201 

But,  in  the  case  of  Dorothy  and  Blossom,  the  change  had 
never  been  of  this  very  broad  character,  and  habit  had  long 
been  preparing  them  for  scenes  even  more  savage  than  that 
into  which  they  were  now  cast.    Both  were  accustomed  to 
work,  as,  blessed  be  God !  the  American  woman  usually 
works ;  that  is  to  say,  within  doors,  and  to  render  home 
neat,  comfortable  and  welcome.    As  housewives,  they  were 
expert  and  willing,  considering  the  meagreness  of  their 
means;  and  le  Bourdon  told  the  half-delighted,  half-blush 
ing  Margery,  ere  the  latter  had  been  twenty-four  hours  in 
his  chicnM,  that  nothing  but  the  presence  of  such  an  one 
as  herself  was  wanting  to  render  it  an  abode  fit  for  a  prince.' 
Then,  the  cooking  was  so  much  improved !     Apart  from 
cleanliness,  the  venison  was  found  to  be  more  savoury;  the 
cakes  were  lighter;    and  the  pork  less  greasy.     On  this 
subject  of  grease,  however,  we  could  wish  that  a  sense  of 
right  would  enable  us  to  announce  its  utter  extinction  in 
the  American  kitchen;  or,  if  not  absolutely  its  extinction, 
such  a  subjection  of  the  unctuous  properties,  as  to  bring 
them  within  the  limits  of  a  reasonably  accurate  and  health 
ful  taste.    To  be  frank,  Dorothy  carried  a  somewhat  heavy 
hand,  in  this  respect;  but  pretty  Margery  was  much  her 
superior.     How  this  difference  in  domestic  discipline  oc 
curred,  is  more  than  we  can  say;  but  of  its  existence,  there 
can  be  no  doubt.    There  are  two. very  respectable  sections 
of  the  civilized  world  to  which  we  should   imagine   no 
rational  being  would  ever  think  of  resorting,  in  order  to 
acquire  the  art  of  cookery,  and  these  are  Germany  and  the 
Land  of  the  Pilgrims.     One  hears,  and  reads  in  those  ele 
gant  specimens  of  the  polite  literature  of  the  day,  the  letters 
from  Washington,  and  from  various  travellers,  who  go  up 
and  down  this  river  in  steamboats,  or  along  that  rail-way, 
gratis,  much  in  honour  of  the  good  things  left  behind  the 
several  writers,  in  the  "  Region  of  the  Rock ;"  but,  woe 
betide  the  wight  who  is  silly  enough  to  believe  in  all  this 
poetical  imagery,  a-nd  who  travels  in  that  direction,  in  the 
expectation  of  finding  a  good  table !     It  is  extraordinary 
that  such  a  marked  difference  does  exist,  on  an  interest  of 
this  magnitude,  among  such  near  neighbours;  but,  of  the 
fact,  we  should  think  no  intelligent  and  experienced  man 
can  doubt.     Believing  as  we  do,  that  no  small  portion  of 


202  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

the  elements  of  national  character  can  be,  and  are,  formed 
in  the  kitchen,  the  circumstance  may  appear  to  us  of  more 
moment  than  to  some  of  our  readers.  The  vacuum  left  in 
cookery,  between  Boston  and  Baltimore,  for  instance,  is 
something  like  that  which  exists  between  Le  Verrier's  new 
planet  and  the  sun. 

But  Margery  could  even  fry  pork  without  causing  it  to 
swim  in  grease,  and  at  preparing  a  venison  steak,  a  pro 
fessed  cook  was  not  her  superior.  She  also  understood 
various  little  mysteries,  in  the  way  of  converting  the  berries 
and  fruits  of  the  wilderness  into  pleasant  dishes ;  and  Cor 
poral  Flint  soon  affirmed  that  it  was  a  thousand  pities  she 
did  not  live  in  a  garrison,  which,  agreeably  to  his  view  of 
things,  was  something  like  placing  her  at  the  comptoir  of 
the  Cafe  de  Paris,  or  of  marrying  her  to  some  second 
Vatel. 

With  the  eating  and  drinking,  the  building  advanced 
pari  passu.  Pigeonswing  brought  in  his  venison,  his 
ducks,  his  pigeons,  and  his  game  of  different  varieties, 
daily,  keeping  the  larder  quite  as  well  supplied  as  com 
ported  with  the  warmth  of  the  weather ;  while  the  others 
worked  on  the  new  chiente.  In  order  to  obtain  materials 
for  this  building,  one  so  much  larger  than  his  old  abode, 
Ben  went  up  the  Kalamazoo,  about  half  a  mile,  where  he 
felled  a  sufficient  number  of  young  pines,  with  trunks  of 
about  a  foot  in  diameter,  cutting  them  into  lengths  of 
twenty  and  thirty  feet,  respectively.  These  lengths,  or 
trunks,  were  rolled  into  the  river,  down  which  they  slowly 
floated,  until  they  arrived  abreast  of  Castle  Meal,  where 
they  were  met  by  Peter,  in  a  canoe,  who  towed  each  stick, 
as  it  arrived,  to  the  place  of  landing.  In  this  way,  at  the 
end  of  two  days'  work,  a  sufficient  quantity  of  materials 
was  collected  to  commence  directly  on  the  building,  itself. 

Log-houses  are  of  so  common  occurrence,  as  to  require 
no  particular  description  of  the  one  now  put  up,  from  us. 
It  was  rather  less  than  thirty  feet  in  length,  and  one-third 
narrower  than  it  was  long.  The  logs  were  notched,  and 
the  insterstices  were  filled  by  pieces  of  the  pine,  split  to  a 
convenient  size.  The  roof  was  of  bark,  and  of  the  sim 
plest  construction,  while  there  was  neither  door  nor  win 
dow;  though  one  aperture  was  left  for  the  first,  and  two 


THE     O  £-  K    OPENINGS.  203 

for  the  last.  Corporal  Flint,  however,  was  resolved  that 
not  only  a  door  should  be  made,  as  well  as  shutters  for  the 
windows,  but  that  the  house  should,  in-time,  be  picketed. 
When  le  Bourdon  remonstrated  with  him  on  the  folly  of 
takingsomuch  unnecessary  pains,  it  led  to  a  discussion,  in 
which  the  missionary  even  felt  constrained  to  join. 

"  What 's  the  use — what 's  the  use  ?"  exclaimed  le  Bour 
don,  a  little  impatiently,  when  he  found  the  corporal  getting 
to  be  in  earnest  in  his  proposal.  "  Here  have  I  lived, 
safely,  two  seasons  in  Castle  Meal,  without  any  pickets,  or 
palisades ;  and  yet  you  want  to  turn  this  new  house  into  a 
reg'lar  garrison !" 

"Ay,  Bourdon,  that  was  in  peaceable  times;  but  these  is 
war  times.  I've  seen  the  fall  of  Fort  Dearborn,  and  I 
don't  want  to  see  the  fall  of  another  post  this  war.  The 
Pottawattamies  is  hostile,  even  Peter  owns;  and  the  Potta- 
wattamies  has  been  here  once,  as  you  say  yourself,  and 
may  come  ag'in." 

"  The  only  Pottawattamie  who  has  ever  been  at  this 
spot,  to  my  knowledge,  is  dead,  and  his  bones  are  bleach 
ing  up  yonder  in  the  openings.  No  fear  of  him,  then." 

"  His  body  is  gone,"  answered  the  corporal ;  "  and  what 
is  more,  the  rifle  is  gone  with  it.  I  heard  that  his  rifle  had 
been  forgotten,  and  went  to  collect  the  arms  left  on  the 
field  of  battle,  but  found  nothing.  No  doubt  his  friends 
have  burned,  or  buried,  the  chief,  and  they  will  be  apt  to 
take  another  look  in  this  quarter  of  the  country,  having 
i'arnt  the  road." 

Boden  was  struck  with  this  intelligence,  as  well  as  with 
the  reasoning,  and  after  a  moment's  pause,  he  answered  in 
a  way  that  showed  a  wavering  purpose. 

"  It  will  take  a  week's  work,  to  picket  or  palisade  the 
house,"  he  answered,  "  and  I  wish  to  be  busy  among  the 
bees,  once  more." 

"  Go  to  your  bees,  Bourdon,  and  leave  me  to  fortify  and 
garrison,  as  becomes  my  trade.  Parson  Amen,  here,  will 
tell  you  that  the  children  of  Israel  are  often  bloody-minded, 
and  are  not  to  be  forgotten." 

"The  corporal  is  right,"  put  in  the  missionary;  "the 
corporal  is  quite  right.  The  whole  history  of  the  ancient 
Jews  gives  us  this  character  of  them ;  and  even  Saul  of 


204  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

Tarsus  was  bent  on  persecution  and  slaughter,  until  hi? 
hand  was  stayed  by  the  direct  manifestation  of  the  power 
of  God.  I  can  see  glimmerings  of  this  spirit  in  Peter,  and 
this  at  a  moment  when  he  is  almost  ready  to  admit  thai 
he's  a  descendant  of  Israel." 

"Is  Peter  ready  to  allow  that?"  asked  the  bee-hunter, 
with  more  interest  in  the  answer  than  he  would  have  been 
willing  to  allow. 

"As  good  as  that — yes,  quite  as  good  as  that.  I  can 
see,  plainly,  that  Peter  has  some  heavy  mystery  on  his 
mind;  sooner,  or  later,  we  shall  learn  it.  When  it  does 
come  out,  the  world  may  be  prepared  to  learn  the  whole 
history  of  the  Ten  Tribes !" 

"  In  my  judgment,"  observed  the  corporal,  "  that  chief 
could  give  the  history  of  twenty,  if  he  was  so  minded." 

"  There  were  but  ten  of  them,  brother  Flint  —  but  ten; 
and  of  those  ten  he  could  give  us  a  full  and  highly  inter 
esting  account.  One  of  these  days,  we  shall  hear  it  all ; 
in  the  mean  time,  it  may  be  well  enough  to  turn  one  of 
these  houses  into  some  sort  of  a  garrison." 

"  Let  it,  then,  be  Castle  Meal,"  said  le  Bourdon ; 
"  surely,  if  any  one  is  to  be  defended  and  fortified  in  this 
way,  it  ought  to  be  the  women.  You  may  easily  palisade 
that  hut,  which  is  so  much  stronger  than  this,  and  so  much 
smaller." 

With  this  compromise,  the  work  went  on.  The  corporal 
dug  a  trench  four  feet  deep,  encircling  the  '  castle,'  as 
happy  as  a  lord  the  whole  time ;  for  this  was  not  the  first 
time  he  had  been  at  such  work,  which  he  considered  to  be 
altogether  in  character,  and  suitable  to  his  profession.  No 
youthful  engineer,  fresh  from  the  Point,  that  seat  of  mili 
tary  learning  to  which  the  Republic  is  even  more  indebted 
for  its  signal  successes  in  Mexico,  than  to  the  high  military 
character  of  this  population, — no  young  aspirant  for  glory, 
fresh  from  this  useful  school,  could  have  greater  delight  in 
laying  out  his  first  bastion,  or  counter-scarp,  or  glacis,  than 
Corporal  Flint  enjoyed  in  fortifying  Castle  Meal.  It  will 
be  remembered  that  this  was  the  first  occasion  he  was  ever 
actually  at  the  head  of  the  engineering  department.  Hi 
therto,  it  had  been  his  fortune  to  follow ;  but  now  it  had 
become  his  duty  to  lead.  As  no  one  else,  of  that  party, 


THE    OAK     OPENINGS.  205 

had  ever  been  employed  in  such  a  work  on  any  previous 
occasion,  the  corporal  did  not  affect  to  conceal  the  superior 
knowledge  with  which  he  was  overflowing.  Gershom  he 
found  a  ready  and  active  assistant ;  for,  by  this  time,  the 
whiskey  was  well  out  of  him  ;  and  he  toiled  with  the  greater 
willingness,  as  he  felt  that  the  palisades  would  add  to  the 
security  of  his  wife  and  sister.  Neither  did  Parson  Amen 
disdain  to  use  the  pick  and  shovel ;  for,  while  the  mission 
ary  had  the  fullest  reliance  in  the  fact  that  the  red  men  of 
that  region  were  the  descendants  of  the  Children  of  Israel, 
he  regarded  them  as  a  portion  of  the  chosen  people  who 
were  living  under  the  ban  of  the  divine  displeasure,  and  as 
more  than  usually  influenced  by  those  evil  spirits,  whom 
St.  Paul  mentions,  as  the  powers  of  the  air.  In  a  word, 
while  the  good  missionary  had  all  faith  in  the  final  conver 
sion  and  restoration  of  these  children  of  the  forests,  he  did 
not  overlook  the  facts  of  their  present  barbarity,  and  great 
propensity  to  scalp.  He  was  not  quite  as  efficient  as  Ger 
shom,  at  this  novel  employment,  imt  a  certain  inborn  zeal 
rendered  him  both  active  and  useful.  As  for  the  Indians, 
neither  of  them  deigned  to  touch  a  tool.  Pigeonswing  had 
little  opportunity  for  so  doing,  indeed,  being  usually,  from 
the  rising  to  the  setting  sun,  out  hunting  for  the  support 
of  the  party ;  while  Peter  passed  most  of  his  time  in  rumi 
nations  and  solitary  walks.  This  last  paid  little  attention 
to  the  work  about  the  castle,  either  knowing  it  would,  at 
any  moment,  by  an  act  of  treachery,  be  in  his  power  to 
render  all  these  precautions  of  no  avail ;  or,  relying  on  the 
amount  of  savage  force  that  he  knew  was  about  to  collect 
in  the  openings.  Whenever  he  cast  a  glance  on  the  pro 
gress  of  the  work,  it  was  with  an  eye  of  great  indifference; 
once  he  even  carried  his  duplicity  so  far,  as  to  make  a 
suggestion  to  the  corporal,  by  means  of  which,  as  he  him 
self  expressed  it,  in  his  imperfect  English — "Injin  no  get 
inside,  to  use  knife  and  tomahawk."  This  seeming  indif 
ference,  on  the  part  of  Peter,  did  not  escape  the  observa 
tion  of  the  bee-hunter,  who  became  still  less  distrustful  of 
that  mysterious  savage,  as  he  noted  his  conduct  in  con 
nection  with  the  dispositions  making  for  defence. 

Le  Bourdon  would  not  allow  a  tree  of  any  sort  to  be  felled 
anywhere  near  his  abode.      While  the  coiporal  and  his 
18 


206  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

associates  were  busy  in  digging  the  trench,  he  had  gone 
to  a  considerable  distance,  quite  out  of  sight  from  Castle 
Meal,  and  near  his  great  highway,  the  river,  where  he  cut 
and  trimmed  the  necessary  number  of  burr  oaks  for  the 
palisades.  Boden  laboured  the  more  cheerfully  at  this 
work,  for  two  especial  reasons.  One  was  the  fact  that  the 
defences  might  be  useful  to  himself,  hereafter,  as  much 
against  bears  as  against  Indians ;  and  the  other,  because 
Margery  daily  brought  her  sewing  or  knitting,  and  sat  on 
the  fallen  trees,  laughing  and  chatting,  as  the  axe  per 
formed  its  duties.  On  three  several  occasions  Peter  was 
present,  also,  accompanying  Blossom,  with  a  kindness  of 
manner,  and  an  attention  to  her  pretty  little  tastes  in  cull 
ing  flowers,  that  would  have  done  credit  to  a  man  of  a 
higher  school  of  civilization. 

The  reader  is  not  to  suppose,  however,  because  the  In 
dian  pays  but  little  outward  attention  to  the  squaws,  that 
he  is  without  natural  feeling,  or  manliness  of  character. 
In  some  respects  his  chivalrous  devotion  to  the  sex  is,  per 
haps,  in  no  degree  inferior  to  that  of  the  class  which  makes 
a  parade  of  such  sentiments,  and  this  quite  as  much  from 
convention  and  ostentation,  as  from  any  other  motive.  The 
red  man  is  still  a  savage,  beyond  all  question ;  but,  he  is  a 
savage  with  so  many  of  the  nobler  and  more  manly  quali 
ties,  when  uncorrupted  by  communion  with  the  worst  class 
of  whites,  and  not  degraded  by  extreme  poverty,  as  justly 
to  render  him  a  subject  of  our  admiration,  in  self-respect, 
in  dignity,  and  in  simplicity  of  deportment.  The  Indian 
chief  is  usually  a  gentleman  ;  and  this  though  he  may  have 
never  heard  of  Revelation,  and  has  not  the  smallest  notion 
of  the  Atonement,  and  of  the  deep  obligations  it  has  laid  on 
the  human  race. 

Amid  the  numberless  exaggerations  of  the  day,  one  of 
particular  capacity  has  arisen  connected  with  the  supposed 
character  of  a  gentleman.  Those  who  regard  all  things 
through  the  medium  of  religious  feeling,  are  apt  to  insist 
that  he  who  is  a  Christian,  is  necessarily  a  gentleman; 
while  he  can  be  no  thorough  gentleman,  who  has  not  most 
of  the  qualities  of  the  Christian  character.  This  confusion 
in  thought  and  language,  can  lead  to  no  really  useful 
result,  while  it  embarrasses  the  minds  of  many,  and  renders 


THE     O  A  fe.    OPENINGS.  207 

the  expression  of  our  ideas  less  exact  and  comprehensive 
than  they  would  otherwise  be. 

We  conceive  that  a  man  may  be  very  much  of  a  Chris 
tian,  and  very  little  of  a  gentleman ;  or  very  much  of  a 
gentleman,  and  very  little  of  a  Christian.  There  is,  in 
short,  not  much  in  common  between  the  two  characters, 
though  it  is  possible  for  them  to  become  united  in  the 
same  individual.  That  the  finished  courtesies  of  polished 
life  may  wear  some  of  the  aspects  of  that  benevolence 
which  causes  the  Christian  "to  love  his  neighbour  as  him 
self,"  is  certainly  true,  though  the  motives  of  the  parties 
are  so  very  different  as  to  destroy  all  real  identity  between 
them.  While  the  moving  principle  of  a  gentleman  is  self- 
respect,  that  of  a  Christian  is  humility.  The  first  is  ready 
to  lay  down  his  life  in  order  to  wipe  away  an  imaginary 
dishonour,  or  to  take  the  life  of  another;  the  last  is  taught 
to  turn  the  other  cheek,  when  smitten.  In  a  word,  the 
first  keeps  the  world,  its  opinions  and  its  estimation  ever 
uppermost  in  his  thoughts  ;  the  last  lives  only  to  reverence 
God,  and  to  conform  to  his  will,  in  obedience  to  his  re 
vealed  mandates.  Certainly,  there  is  that  which  is  both 
grateful  and  useful  in  the  refined  deportment  of  one  whose 
mind  and  manners  have  been  polished  even  in  the  schools 
of  the  world;  but  it  is  degrading  to  the  profoundly  beau 
tiful  submission  of  the  truly  Christian  temper,  to  imagine 
that  anything  like  a  moral  parallel  can  justly  be  run  be 
tween  them. 

Of  course,  Peter  had  none  of  the  qualities  of  him  who 
sees  and  feels  his  own  defects,  and  relies  only  on  the  merits 
of  the  atonement  for  his  place  among  the  children  of  light, 
while  he  had  so  many  of  those  qualities  which  depend  on 
the  estimate  which  man  is  so  apt  to  place  on  his  own 
merits.  In  this  last  sense,  this  Indian  had  a  great  many 
of  the  essentials  of  a  gentleman  ;  a  lofty  courtesy  presiding 
over  all  his  intercourse  with  others,  when  passion  or  policy 
did  not  thrust  in  new  and  sudden  principles  of  action. 
Even  the  missionary  was  so  much  struck  with  the  gentle 
ness  of  this  mysterious  savage's  deportment  in  connection 
with  Margery,  as  at  first  to  impute  it  to  a  growing  desire 
to  make  a  wife  of  that  flower  of  the  wilderness.  But  closer 
observation  induced  greater  justice  to  the  Indian  in  this 


» 


208  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

respect.  Nothing  like  the  uneasiness,  impatience,  or  dis 
trust  of  passion  could  be  discerned  in  his  demeanour ;  and 
when  Parson  Amen  perceived  that  the  bee-hunter's  marked 
devotion  to  the  beautiful  Blossom  rather  excited  a  benevo 
lent  and  kind  interest  in  the  feelings  of  Peter,  so  far  at 
least  as  one  could  judge  of  the  heart  by  external  appear 
ances,  than  anything  that  bore  the  fierce  and  uneasy  im 
pulses  of  jealousy,  he  was  satisfied  that  his  original  impres 
sion  was  a  mistake. 

As  le  Bourdon  flourished  his  axe,  and  Margery  plied  her 
needles,  making  a  wholesome  provision  for  the  coming 
winter,  the  mysterious  Indian  would  stand,  a  quarter  of  an 
hour  at  a  time,  immovable  as  a  statue,  his  eyes  riveted  first 
on  one,  and  then  on  the  other.  What  passed  at  such  mo 
ments  in  that  stern  breast,  it  exceeds  the  penetration  of 
man  to  say ;  but  that  the  emotions  thus  pent  within  bar 
riers  that  none  could  pass  or  destroy,  were  not  always  fero 
cious  and  revengeful,  a  carefully  observant  spectator  might 
possibly  have  suspected,  had  such  a  person  been  there  to 
note  all  the  signs  of  what  was  uppermost  in  the  chiefs 
thoughts.  Still,  gleamings  of  sudden,  but  intense  ferocity 
did  occasionally  occur ;  and,  at  such  instants,  the  counte 
nance  of  this  extraordinary  being  was  truly  terrific.  For 
tunately,  such  bursts  of  uncontrollable  feeling  were  tran 
sient,  being  of  rare  occurrence,  and  of  very  short  duration. 

By  the  time  the  corporal  had  his  trenches  dug,  le  Bour 
don  was  prepared  with  his  palisades,  which  were  just  one 
hundred  in  number,  being  intended  to  enclose  a  space  of 
forty  feet  square.  The  men  all  united  in  the  transporta 
tion  of  the  timber,  which  was  floated  down  the  river  on  a 
raft  of  white  pine,  the  burr  oak  being  of  a  specific  gravity 
that  fresh  water  would  not  sustain.  A  couple  of  days,  how 
ever,  sufficed  for  the  transportation  by  water,  and  as  many 
more  for  that  by  land,  between  the  place  of  landing  and 
Castle  Meal.  This  much  accomplished,  the  whole  party 
rested  from  their  labours,  the  day  which  succeeded  being 
the  Sabbath. 

Those  who  dwell  habitually  amid  the  haunts  of  men, 
alone  thoroughly  realize  the  vast  importance  that  ought  to 
be  attached  to  the  great  day  of  rest.  Men  on  the  ocean, 
and  men  in  the  forest,  are  only  too  apt  to  overlook  the  re- 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  209 

turns  of  this  Sabbath ;  thus  slowly,  but  inevitably,  alien 
ating  themselves  more  and  more  from  the  dread  Being  who 
established  the  festival,  as  much  in  his  own  honour  as  for 
the  good  of  man.  When  we  are  told  that  the  Almighty  is 
jealous  of  his  rights,  and  desires  to  be  worshipped,  we  are 
not  to  estimate  this  wish  by  any  known  human  standard, 
but  are  ever  to  bear  in  mind  that,  it  is  exactly  in  propor 
tion  as  we  do  reverence  the  Creator  and  Ruler  of  heaven 
and  earth  that  we  are  nearest,  or  farthest,  from  the  con 
dition  of  the  blessed.  It  is  probably  for  his  own  good,  that 
the  adoration  of  man  is  pleasing  in  the  eyes  of  God. 

The  missionary,  though  a  visionary  and  an  enthusiast, 
as  respected  the  children  of  Israel,  was  a  zealous  observer 
of  his  duties.  On  Sundays,  he  never  neglected  to  set  up 
his  tabernacle,  even  though  it  were  in  a  howling  wilder 
ness,  and  went  regularly  through  the  worship  of  God,  ac 
cording  to  the  form  of  the  sect  to  which  he  belonged.  His 
influence,  on  the  present  occasion,  was  sufficient  to  cause 
a  suspension  of  all  labour,  though  not  without  some  re 
monstrances  on  the  part  of  the  corporal.  The  latter  con 
tended  that,  in  military  affairs,  there  was  no  Sunday  known, 
unless  it  might  be  in  peaceable  times,  and  that  he  had 
never  heard  of  entrenchments  "  resting  from  their  labours," 
on  the  part  of  either  the  besieger  or  the  besieged.  Work 
of  that  sort,  he  thought,  ought  to  go  on,  day  and  night,  by 
means  of  reliefs;  and,  instead  of  pausing  to  hold  church, 
he  had  actually  contemplated  detailing  fatigue  parties  to 
labour  through,  not  only  that  day,  but  the  whole  of  the  suc 
ceeding  night. 

As  for  Peter,  he  never  offered  the  slightest  objection  to 
any  of  Parson  Amen's  sermons  or  prayers.  He  listened 
to  both  with  unmoved  gravity,  though  no  apparent  impres 
sion  was  ever  made  on  his  feelings.  The  Chippewa  hunted 
on  the  Sabbaths  as  much  as  on  any  other  day ;  and  it  was 
in  reference  to  this  fact  that  the  following  little  conversa 
tion  took  place  between  Margery  and  the  missionary,  as 
the  party  sat  beneath  the  oaks,  passing  a  tranquil  even 
tide  at  midsummer. 

"How  happens  it,  Mr.  Amen,"  said  Margery,  who  had 
insensibly  adopted  the  missionary's  sobriquet,  "  that  no  red 
man  keeps  the  Sabbath-day,  if  they  are  all  descended  from 


210  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

the  Jews?  This  is  one  of  the  most  respected  of  all  the 
commandments,  and  it  does  not  seem  natural" — Margery's 
use  of  terms  was  necessarily  influenced  by  association  and 
education — "  that  any  of  that  people  should  wholly  forget 
the  day  of  rest." 

"  Perhaps  you  are  not  aware,  Margery,  that  the  Jews, 
even  in  civilized  countries,  do  not  keep  the  same  Sabbath 
as  the  Christians,"  returned  the  missionary.  "  They  have 
public  worship  on  a  Saturday,  as  we  do  on  a  Sunday.  Now, 
I  did  think  I  saw  some  signs  of  Peter's  privately  worship 
ping  yesterday,  while  we  were  all  so  busy  at  our  garrison. 
You  may  have  observed  how  thoughtful  and  silent  the  chief 
was  in  the  middle  of  the  afternoon." 

"  I  did  observe  it,"  said  the  bee-hunter,  "  but  must  own 
I  did  not  suspect  him  of  holding  meeting  for  any  purposes 
within  himself.  That  was  one  of  the  times  when  I  like 
the  manners  and  behaviour  of  this  Injin  the  least." 

"  We  do  not  know — we  do  not  know — perhaps  his  spirit 
struggled  with  the  temptations  of  the  Evil  One.  To  me 
he  appeared  to  be  worshipping,  and  I  set  the  fact  down  as 
a  proof  that  the  red  men  keep  the  Jewish  Sabbath.'' 

"  I  did  not  know  that  the  Jews  keep  a  Sabbath  different 
from  our  own,  else  I  might  have  thought  the  same.  But  I 
never  saw  a  Jew,  to  my  knowledge.  Did  you,  Margery?" 

"  Not  to  know  him  for  one,"  answered  the  girl ;  and 
true  enough  was  the  remark  of  each.  Five  and  thirty 
years  ago,  America  was  singularly  not  only  a  Christian  but 
a  Protestant  nation.  Jews  certainly  did  exist  in  the  towns, 
but  they  were  so  blended  with  the  rest  of  the  population,  and 
were  so  few  in  number,  as  scarcely  to  attract  attention  to 
them  as  a  sect.  As  for  the  Romanists,  they  too  had  their 
churches  and  their  dioceses ;  but  what  untravelled  Ameri 
can  had  then  ever  seen  a  nun?  From  monks,  Heaven  be 
praised,  we  are  yet  spared ;  and  this  is  said  without  any 
prejudice  against  the  denomination  to  which  they  usually 
belong.  He  who  has  lived  much  in  countries  where  that 
sect  prevails,  if  a  man  of  a  particle  of  liberality,  soon  learns 
that  piety  and  reverence  for  God,  and  a  deep  sense  of  all 
the  Christian  obligations,  can  just  as  well,  nay  better,  exist 
in  a  state  of  society  where  a  profound  submission  to  well- 
established  dogmas  is  to  be  found,  than  in  a  state  of  so* 


THE    OAK     OPENINGS.  211 

ciety  where  there  is  so  much  political  freedom  as  to  induce 
ihe  veriest  pretenders  to  learning  to  imagine  that  each  man 
is  a  church  and  a  hierarchy  in  his  own  person  !  All  this 
is  rapidly  changing.  Romanists  abound,  and  spots  that, 
half  a  century  since,  appeared  to  be  the  most  improbable 
places  in  the  world  to  admit  of  the  rites  of  the  priests  of 
Rome,  now  hear  the  chants  and  prayers  of  the  mass-books. 
All  this  shows  a  tendency  towards  that  great  commingling 
of  believers,  which  is  doubtless  to  precede  the  final  fusion 
of  sects,  and  the  predicted  end. 

On  the  Monday  that  succeeded  the  Sabbath  mentioned, 
the  corporal  had  all  his  men  at  work,  early,  pinning  toge 
ther  his  palisades,  making  them  up  into  manageable  bents, 
and  then  setting  them  up  on  their  legs.  As  the  materials 
were  all  there,  and  quite  ready  to  be  put  together,  the  work 
advanced  rapidly ;  and  by  the  time  the  sun  drew  near  the 
western  horizon  once  more,  Castle  Meal  was  surrounded 
by  its  bristling  defences.  The  whole  was  erect  and  stay- 
lathed,  waiting  only  for  the  earth  to  be  shovelled  back  into 
the  trench,  and  to  be  pounded  well  down.  As  it  was,  the 
palisades  offered  a  great  increase  of  security  to  those  in  the 
chiente,  and  both  the  females  expressed  their  obligations  to 
their  friends  for  having  taken  this  important  step  towards 
protecting  them  from  the  enemy.  When  they  retired  for 
the  night,  everything  was  arranged,  so  that  the  different 
members  of  the  party  might  know  where  to  assemble 
within  the  works.  Among  the  effects  of  Gershom,  were  a 
conch  and  a  horn ;  the  latter  being  one  of  those  common 
instruments  of  tin,  which  are  so  much  used  in  and  about 
American  farm-houses,  to  call  the  labourers  from  the  field. 
The  conch  was  given  to  the  men,  that,  in  case  of  need, 
they  might  sound  the  alarm  from  without,  while  the  horn, 
or  trumpet  of  tin,  was  suspended  by  the  door  of  the  chicntg, 
in  order  that  the  females  might  have  recourse  to  it,  at  need. 

About  midnight,  long  after  the  whole  party  had  retired 
to  rest,  and  when  the  stillness  of  the  hours  of  deepest  re 
pose  reigned  over  the  openings,  the  bee-hunter  was  awoke 
from  his  sleep  by  an  unwonted  call.  At  first,  he  could 
scarce  believe  his  senses,  so  plaintive,  and  yet  so  wild,  was 
the  blast.  But  there  could  be  no  mistake :  it  was  the  horn 
from  the  chitnte,  and,  in  a  moment,  he  was  on  his  feet. 


212  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

By  this  time,  the  corporal  was  a-foot,  and  presently  all  the 
men  were  in  motion.  On  this  occasion,  Gershom  mani 
fested  a  readiness  and  spirit  that  spoke  equally  well  for  his 
heart  and  his  courage.  He  was  foremost  in  rushing  to  the 
assistance  of  his  wife  and  sister,  though  le  Bourdon  was 
very  close  on  his  heels. 

On  reaching  the  gate  of  the  palisade,  it  was  found  closed, 
and  barred  within ;  nor  did  any  one  appear,  until  l)orothy 
was  summoned,  by  repeated  calls,  in  the  well-known  voice 
of  her  husband.  When  the  two  females  came  out  of  the 
chiente,  great  was  their  wonder  and  alarm !  No  horn  had 
been  blown  by  either  of  them,  and  there  the  instrument, 
itself,  hung  on  its  peg,  as  quiet  and  mute  as  if  a  blast  had 
never  been  blown  into  it.  The  bee-hunter,  on  learning 
this  extraordinary  fact,  looked  around  him  anxiously,  in 
order  to  ascertain  who  might  be  absent.  Every  man  was 
present,  and  each  person  stood  by  his  arms,  no  one  betray 
ing  the  slightest  consciousness  of  knowing  whence  the  un 
accountable  summons  had  proceeded ! 

"  This  has  been  done  by  you,  corporal,  in  order  to  bring 
us  together,  under  arms,  by  way  of  practice,"  le  Bourdon 
at  length  exclaimed. 

"  False  alarms  is  useful,  if  not  overdone ;  especially 
among  raw  troops,"  answered  Flint,  coolly ;  "  but  I  have 
given  none  to-night.  I  will  own  I  did  intend  to  have  you 
all  out  in  a  day  or  two,  by  way  of  practice,  but  I  have 
thought  it  useless  to  attempt  too  much  at  once.  When  the 
garrison  is  finished,  it  will  be  time  enough  to  drill  the  men 
to  the  alarm-posts." 

"What  is  your  opinion,  Peter?"  continued  le  Bourdon. 
•'  You  understand  the  wilderness,  and  its  ways.  To  what 
is  this  extr'or'nary  call  owing  ?  Why  have  we  been  brought 
here,  at  this  hour  V 

"  Somebody  blow  horn,  most  likely,"  answered  Peter,  in 
his  unmoved,  philosophical  manner.  "  'Spose  don't  know ; 
den  can't  tell.  Warrior  often  hear  'larm  on  war-path." 

«'  This  is  an  onaccountable  thing !  If  I  ever  heard  a 
horn,  I  heard  orie  to-night ;  yet  this  is  the  only  horn  we 
have,  and  no  one  has  touched  it !  It  was  not  the  conch,  I 
heard ;  there  is  no  mistaking  the  difference  in  sound  be 
tween  a  shell  and  a  horn ;  and  there  is  the  conch,  hang- 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  213 

ing  at  Gershom's  neck,  just  where  it  has  been  the  whole 
night." 

"No  one  has  touched  the  conch  —  I  will  answer  for 
that,"  returned  Gershom,  laying  a  hand  on  the  shell,  as  if 
to  make  certain  all  was  right. 

"  Tkis  is  most  extr'or'nary !  I  heard  the  horn,  if  ears 
of  mine  ever  heard  such  an  instrument!" 

Each  of  the  white  men  added  as  much,  for  every  one  of 
them  had  distinctly  heard  the  blast.  Still  neither  could 
suggest  any  probable  clue  to  the  mystery.  The  Indians 
said  nothing ;  but  it  was  so  much  in  conformity  with  their 
habits  for  red  men  to  maintain  silence,  whenever  any  unu 
sual  events  awakened  feelings  in  others,  that  no  one  thought 
their  deportment  out  of  rule.  As  for  Peter,  a  statue  of 
stone  could  scarcely  have  been  colder  in  aspect  than  was 
this  chief,  who  seemed  to  be  altogether  raised  above  every 
exhibition  of  human  feeling.  Even  the  corporal  gaped, 
though  much  excited,  for  he  had  been  suddenly  aroused 
from  a  deep  sleep ;  but  Peter  was  as  much  superior  to  phy 
sical,  as  to  moral  impressions,  on  this  occasion.  He  made 
no  suggestion,  manifested  no  concern,  exhibited  no  curi 
osity  ;  and  when  the  men  withdrew,  again,  to  their  proper 
habitation,  he  walked  back  with  them,  in  the  same  silence 
and  calm,  as  those  with  which  he  had  advanced.  Gershom, 
however,  entered  within  the  palisade,  and  passed  the  re 
mainder  of  the  night  with  his  family. 

The  bee-hunter  and  the  Chippewa  accidentally  came 
together,  as  the  men  moved  slowly  towards  their  own  hut, 
when  the  following  short  dialogue  occurred  between  them. 

"Is  that  you,  Pigeonswing?"  exclaimed  le  Bourdon, 
when  he  found  his  friend  touching  an  elbow,  as  if  by 
chance. 

"Yes,  dis  me — want  better  friend,  eh?" 

"  No ;  I  'm  well  satisfied  to  have  you  near  me,  in  an 
alarm,  Chippewa.  We've  stood  by  each  other  once,  in 
troublesome  times;  and  I  think  we  can  do  as  much, 
ag'in." 

"Yes;  stand  by  friend — dat  honour.  Nebber  turn  back 
on  -friend  ;  dat  my  way." 

"  Chippewa,  who  blew  the  blast  on  the  horn?— can  you 
tell  me  that  ?" 


214  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

"  Why  you  don't  ask  Peter?  He  wise  chief— know 
ebberyt'ing.  Young  Injin  ask  ole  Injin  when  don't  know 
— why  not  young  pale-face  ask  ole  man,  too,  eh?" 

"  Pigeonswing,  if  truth  was  said,  I  believe  it  would  be 
found  that  you  suspect  Peter  of  having  a  hand  in  this 
business !" 

This  speech  was  rather  too  idiomatic  for  the  compre 
hension  of  the  Indian,  who  answered  according  to  his  own 
particular  view  of  the  matter. 

"  Don't  blow  horn  wid  hand,"  he  said — "  Injin  blow  wid 
mout',  just  like  pale-face." 

The  bee-hunter  did  not  reply ;  but  his  companion's  re 
mark  had  a  tendency  to  revive  in  his  breast,  certain  un 
pleasant  and  distrustful  feelings  towards  the  mysterious 
savage,  which  the  incidents  and  communications  of  the 
last  two  weeks  had  had  a  strong  tendency  to  put  to  sleep. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

None  knows  his  lineage,  age,  or  name: 

His  looks  are  like  the  snows  of  Caucasus ;  his  eyes 

Beam  with  the  wisdom  of  collected  ages. 

In  green,  unbroken  years  he  sees,  'tis  said. 

The  generations  pass  like  autumn  fruits, 

Garner'd,  consumed,  and  springing  fresh  to  life, 

Again  to  perish 

HlLLHOUSE. 

No  further  disturbance  took  place  that  night,  and  the 
men  set  about  filling  up  the  trenches  in  the  morning 
steadily  as  if  nothing  had  happened.  They  talked  a  little 
of  the  extraordinary  occurrence,  but  more  was  thought 
than  said.  Le  Bourdon  obserred,  however,  that  Pigeons- 
wing  went  earlier  than  usual  to  the  hunt,  and  that  he 
made  his  preparations  as  if  he  expected  to  be  absent  more 
than  the  customary  time. 

As  there  were  just  one  hundred  feet  of  ditch  to  fill  with 
dirt,  the  task  was  completed,  and  that  quite  thoroughly, 
long  ere  the  close  of  the  day.  The  pounding  down  of 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  215 

the  earth  consumed  more  time,  and  was  much  more  labori 
ous  than  the  mere  tumbling  of  the  earth  back  into  its  for- 
mer  bed  ;  but  even  this  portion  of  the  work  was  sufficiently 
attended  to.  When  all  was  done,  the  corporal  mmself,  a 
very  critical  sort  of  person  in  what  he  called  'garrisons,' 
was  fain  to  allow  that  it  was  as  "  pretty  a  piece  of  pali 
sading"  as  he  had  ever  laid  eyes  on.  The  'garrison* 
wanted  only  one  thing,  now,  to  render  it  a  formidable 
post  —  and  that  was  water.  No  spring  or  well  existing 
within  its  narrow  limits,  however,  he  procured  two  or  three 
empty  barrels,  portions  of  le  Bourdon's  effects,  placed  them 
within  the  works,  and  had  them  filled  with  sweet  water. 
By  emptying  this  water  two  or  three  times  a  week,  and 
refilling  the  barrels,  it  was  thought  that  a  sufficient  provi 
sion  of  that  great  necessary  would  be  made  and  kept  up. 
Luckily  the  corporal's  '  garrison'  did  not  drink  and  the 
want  was  so  much  the  more  easily  supplied  for  the  moment. 
In  truth,  the  chiente  was  now  converted  into  a  place  of 
some  strength,  when  it  is  considered  that  artillery  had 
never  yet  penetrated  to  those  wilds.  More  than  half  the 
savages  of  the  west  fought  with  arrows  and  spears  in  that 
day,  as  most  still  do  when  the  great  prairies  are  reached. 
A  rifleman  so  posted  as  to  have  his  body  in  a  great  measure 
covered  by  the  trunk  of  a  burr  oak  tree,  would  be  reason 
ably  secure  against  the  missives  of  an  Indian,  and,  using 
his  own  fatal  instrument  of  death,  under  a  sense  of  per 
sonal  security,  he  would  become  a  formidable  opponent  to 
dislodge.  Nor  was  the  smallness  of  the  work  any  objec 
tion  to  its  security.  A  single  well-armed  man  might  suf 
fice  to  defend  twenty-five  feet  of  palisades,  when  he  would 
nave  been  insufficient  to  make  good  his  position  with  twice 
the  extent.  Then  le  Bourdon  had  cut  loops  on  three 
sides  of  the  hut  itself,  in  order  to  fire  at  the  bears,  and 
sometimes  at  the  deer,  which  had  often  approached  the 
building  in  its  days  of  solitude  and  quiet,  using  the  window 
on  the  fourth  side  for  the  same  purpose.  In  a  word,  a 
sense  of  increased  security  was  felt  by  the  whole  party 
when  this  work  was  completed,  though  one  arrangement 
was  still  wanting  to  render  it  perfect.  By  separating 
the  real  garrison  from  the  nominal  garrison  during  the 
night,  there  always  existed  the  danger  of  surprise ;  and 


216  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

the  corporal,  now  that  his  fortifications  were  finished,  soon 
devised  a  plan  to  obviate -this  last-named  difficulty.  His 
expedient  was  very  simple,  and  had  somewhat  of  barrack, 
life  about  it. 

Corporal  Flint  raised  a  low  platform  along  one  side  of 
the  chiente,  by  placing  there  logs  of  pine  that  were  squared 
on  one  of  their  sides.  Above,  at  the  height  of  a  man's 
head,  a  roof  of  bark  was  reared  on  poles,  arid  prairie 
grass,  aided  by  skins,  formed  very  comfortable  barrack- 
beds  beneath.  As  the  men  were  expected  to  lie  with  their 
heads  to  the  wall  of  the  hut,  and  their  feet  outwards,  there 
was  ample  space  for  twice  their  number.  Thither,  then, 
were  all  the  homely  provisions  for  the  night  transported 
and,  when  Margery  closed  the  door  of  the  chiente,  after 
returning  the  bee-hunter's  cordial  good  night,  it  was  with 
no  further  apprehension  for  the  winding  of  the  mysterious 
horn. 

The  first  night  that  succeeded  the  new  arrangement 
passed  without  any  disturbance.  Pigeonswing  did  not  re 
turn,  as  usual,  at  sunset,  and  a  little  uneasiness  was  felt 
on  his  account ;  but,  as  he  made  his  appearance  quite  early 
in  the  morning,  this  source  of  concern  ceased.  Nor  did 
the  Chippewa  come  in  empty-handed ;  he  had  killed 
not  only  a  buck,  but  he  had  knocked  over  a  bear  in  his 
rambles,  besides  taking  a  mess  of  famously  fine  trout  from 
a  brawling  stream  at  no  great  distance.  The  fish  were 
eaten  for  breakfast,  and  immediately  after  that  meal  was 
ended,  a  party  started  to  bring  in  the  venison  and  bear'a 
meat,  under  the  lead  of  the  Chippewa.  This  party  con- 
sisted  of  the  corporal,  Gershom,  the  bee-hunter,  and 
Pigeonswing  himself.  When  it  left  the  garrison,  the 
females  were  spinning  beneath  the  shade  of  the  oaks,  and 
the  missionary  was  discoursing  with  Peter  on  the  subject 
of  the  customs  of  the  latter's  people,  in  the  hope  of  de 
riving  facts  to  illustrate  his  theory  of  the  ten  lost  tribes. 

The  buck  was  found,  suspended  from  a  tree  as  usual, 
at  the  distance  of  only  a  mile  from  the  '  garrison',  as  the 
corporal  now  uniformly  called  '  Castle  Meal.'  Here  the 
party  divided  ;  Flint  and  Gershom  shouldering  the  venison, 
arid  Pigeonswing  leading  the  bee-hunter  still  further  from 
home  in  quest  of  Bruin.  As  the  two  last  moved  through 


THE    OAK     OPENINGS.  217 

the  park-like  trees  and  glades  of  the  openings,  a  dialogue 
occurred  that  it  may  help  along  the  incidents  of  our  legend 
to  record. 

"  You  made  a  long  hunt  of  it  yesterday,  Pigeonswing," 
observed  le  Bourdon,  as  soon  as  he  found  himself  alone 
with  his  old  ally.  "Why  did'nt  you  come  in  at  night  ac 
cordin'  to  custom." 

"  Too  much  see — too  much  do.  Dat  good  reason,  eh  ?" 
was  the  answer. 

"  Your  do  was  to  kill  one  buck  and  one  bear,  no  such 
great  matter  after  all ;  and  your  see  could  not  much  alter 
the  case,  since  seeing  a  whole  regiment  of  the  creatures 
couldn't  frighten  a  man  like  you." 

"No  said  frighten,"  returned  the  Chippewa  sharply. 
"Squaw  frighten,  not  warrior." 

"  I  ask  your  pardon,  Pigeonswing,  for  supposing  such  a 
ming  possible  ;  though  you  will  remember  I  did  not  think 
it  very  likely  to  be  the  fact  with  you.  I  will  give  you  one 
piece  of  advice,  however,  Chippewa,  which  is  this — do  not 
be  ready  to  jump  down  every  man's  throat  who  may  hap. 
pen  to  think  it  possible  that  you  might  be  a  little  skeary 
when  enemies  are  plenty.  It  is  the  man  who  feels  him 
self  strongest  in  such  matters,  that  is  the  least  likely  to 
take  offence  at  any  loose  remark  of  this  nature.  Your 
fiery  devils  go  off  sometimes  at  half-cock,  because  they 
have  a  secret  whisperer  within  that  tells  'em  the  charge  is 
true.  That's  all  I've  to  say  just  now,  Chippewa." 

"  Don't  know — don't  hear  (understand)  what  you  say. 
No  frighten,  tell  you — dat  'nuff." 

"No  need  of  being  like  a  steel-trap,  Injin — I  understand, 
if  you  don't.  Now,  I  own  I  am  skeary  when  there  is  rea 
son  for  it,  and  all  I  can  say  in  my  own  favour  is,  that  I 
don't  begin  to  run  before  the  danger  is  in  sight."  Here 
the  bee-hunter  paused,  and  walked  some  distance  in  silence. 
When  he  did  resume  the  discourse,  it  was  to  add  — 
"  Though  I  must  confess  a  man  may  hear  danger  as  well 
as  see  it.  That  horn  has  troubled  me  more  than  I  should 
like  to  own  to  Dorothy  and  pretty  Blossom." 

"  Bess  alway  let  squaw  know  most  den,  sometime  she 
help  as  well  as  warrior.     Bourdon,  you  right — ought  to  fee/ 
afeard  of  dat  horn." 
19 


218  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

"  Ha  ,  Do  you  then  know  anything  about  it,  Pigeons- 
wing,  that  you  give  this  opinion  ?" 

"  Hear  him  juss  like  rest.     Got  ear,  why  not  hear,  eh  ?" 

"  Ay,  but  your  manner  of  speaking  just  now  said  more 
than  this.  Perhaps  you  blew  the  horn  yourself,  Chip- 
pewa?" 

"  Didn't  touch  him,"  returned  the  Indian  coldly.  "  Want 
to  sleep— don't  want  to  blow  trumpet." 

"  Whom  do  you  then  suspect?     Is  it  Peter?" 

"  No — don't  touch  him  nudder.  Lay  down  by  me  dere 
when  horn  blow." 

"  I  'm  glad  to  hear  this  from  you,  Pigeonswing,  for,  to 
own  the  truth,  I  've  had  my  misgivings  about  that  onac- 
countable  Injin,  and  I  did  think  he  might  have  been  up, 
and  have  got  hold  of  the  horn." 

"  No  touch  him  at  all.  Fast  'sleep  when  horn  blow. 
What  make  Peter  come  in  openin',  eh  ?  You  know  ?" 

"  I  know  no  more  than  he  has  himself  told  me.  By  hia 
account  there  is  to  be  a  great  council  of  red  men  on  the 
prairie,  a  few  miles  from  this  spot;  he  is  waiting  for  the 
appointed  day  to  come,  in  order  to  go  and  make  one  of  the 
chiefs  that  will  be  there.  Is  not  this  true,  Chippewa  ?" 

"  Yes,  dat  true — what  dat  council  smoke  round  fire  for, 
eh?  You  know?" 

"  No,  I  do  not,  and  would  be  right  glad  to  have  you  tell 
me,  Pigeonswing.  Perhaps  the  tribes  mean  to  have  a 
meetin'  to  determine  in  their  own  minds  which  side  they 
ought  to  take  in  this  war." 

"  Not  dat  nudder.  Know  well  'nough  which  side  take. 
Got  message  and  wampum  from  Canada  fadder,  and  most 
all  Injin  up  this-a-way  look  for  Yankee  scalp.  Not  dat 
nudder." 

"  Then  I  have  no  notion  what  is  at  the  bottom  of  this 
council.  Peter  seems  to  expect  great  things  from  it ;  that 
I  can  see  by  his  way  of  talking  and  looking  wheneve*  he 
speaks  of  it." 

"  Peter  want  to  see  him  very  much.  Smoke  at  great 
many  sich  council  fire." 

"  Do  you  intend  to  be  present  at  this  council  on  Prairie 
Round  ?"  asked  the  bee-hunter,  innocently  enough.  Pi 
geonswing  turned  to  look  at  his  companion,  in  a  way  that 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  219 

seemed  to  inquire  how  far  he  was  really  the  dupe  of  the 
mysterious  Indian's  wiles.  Then,  suddenly  aware  of  the 
importance  of  not  betraying  all  he  himself  knew,  until  the 
proper  moment  had  arrived,  he  bent  his  eyes  forward 
again,  continuing  onward  and  answering  somewhat  eva 
sively. 

"  Don't  know,"  he  replied.  "  Hunter  nebber  tell.  Chief 
want  venison,  and  he  must  hunt.  Just  like  squaw  in  pale 
face  wigwam — work,  work — sweep,  sweep — cook,  cook — 
never  know  when  work  done.  So  hunter  hunt — hunt — 
hunt." 

"  And  for  that  matter,  Chippewa,  just  like  squaw  in  the 
red  man's  village,  too.  Hoe,  hoe — dig,  dig — carry,  carry 
— so  that  she  never  knows  when  she  may  sit  down  to  rest." 

"  Yes,"  returned  Pigeonswing,  coolly  nodding  his  assent 
as  he  moved  steadily  forward.  "  Dat  do  right  way  wid 
squaw— juss  what  he  good  for — juss  what  he  made  for — 
work  for  warrior  and  cook  his  dinner.  Pale-face  make  too 
much  of  squaw." 

"Not  accordin'  to  your  account  of  their  manner  of  get 
ting  along,  Injin.  If  the  work  of  our  squaws  is  never 
done,  we  can  hardly  make  too  much  of  them.  Where  does 
Peter  keep  his  squaw?" 

"  Don't  know,"  answered  the  Chippewa.  "  Nobody  know. 
Don't  know  where  his  tribe  even." 

"  This  is  very  extraor'nary,  considering  the  influence 
the  man  seems  to  enjoy.  How  is  it  that  he  has  so  com 
pletely  got  the  ears  of  all  the  red  men,  far  and  near?" 

To  this  question  Pigeonswing  gave  no  answer.  His  own 
mind  was  so  far  under  Peter's  control  that  he  did  not 
choose  to  tell  more  than  might  be  prudent.  He  was  fully 
aware  of  the  mysterious  chief's  principal  design,  that  of 
destroying  the  white  race  altogether,  and  of  restoring  the 
red  men  to  their  ancient  rights,  but  several  reasons  pre 
vented  his  entering  into  the  plot  heart  and  hand.  In  the 
first  place,  he  was  friendly  to  the  "  Yankees,"  from  whom 
he,  personally,  had  received  many  favours  arid  no  wrongs; 
then,  the  tribe,  or  half-tribe,  to  which  he  belonged  had 
been  employed,  more  or  less,  by  the  agents  of  the  Ameri 
can  government  as  runners,  and  in  other  capacities,  ever 
since  the  peace  of  '83 ;  and,  lastly,  he  himself  had  been 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

left  much  in  different  garrisons,  where  he  had  not  only 
acquired  his  English,  but  a  habit  of  thinking  of  the  Ame 
ricans  as  his  friends.  It  might  also  be  added  that  Pigeons- 
wing,  though  far  less  gifted  by  nature  than  the  mysterious 
Peter,  had  formed  a  truer  estimate  of  the  power  of  the 
1  Yankees,'  and  did  not  believe  they  were  to  be  annihilated 
so  easily.  How  it  happened  that  this  Indian  had  come  to 
a  conclusion  so  much  safer  than  that  of  Peter's,  a  man  of 
twice  his  capacity,  is  more  than  we  can  explain;  though 
it  was  probably  owing  to  the  accidental  circumstances  ot 
his  more  intimate  associations  with  the  whites. 

The  bee-hunter  was  by  nature  a  man  of  observation,  a 
faculty  that  his  habits  had  both  increased  and  stimulated. 
Had  it  not  been  for  the  manner  in  which  he  was  submit 
ting  to  the  influence  of  Margery,  he  would  long  before  have 
seen  that  in  the  deportment  of  the  Chippewa  which  would 
have  awakened  his  distrust ;  not  that  Margery  in  any  way 
endeavoured  to  blind  him  to  what  was  passing  before  his 
face,  but  that  he  was  fast  getting  to  have  eyes  only  for  her. 
By  this  time  she  rilled  not  only  his  waking,  but  many  of  his 
sleeping  thoughts;  and  when  she  was  not  actually  before 
him,  charming  him  with  her  beauty,  enlivening  him  with  her 
artless  gaiety,  and  inspiring  him  with  her  innocent  humour, 
he  fancied  she  was  there,  imagination,  perhaps,  heighten 
ing  all  those  advantages  which  we  have  enumerated.  When 
a  man  is  thoroughly  in  love,  he  is  quite  apt  to  be  fit  for  very 
little  else  but  to  urge  his  suit.  Such,  in  a  certain  way, 
proved  to  be  the  case  with  le  Bourdon,  who  allowed  things 
to  pass  unheeded  directly  before  his  eyes,  that  previously 
to  hi-s  acquaintance  with  Margery  would  not  only  have 
been  observed,  but  which  would  have  most  probably  led  to 
some  practical  results.  The  conduct  of  Pigeonswing  was 
among  the  circumstances  that  were  thus  overlooked  by  our 
hero.  In  point  of  fact,  Peter  was  slowly  but  surely  work 
ing  on  the  mind  of  the  Chippewa,  changing  all  his  opinions 
radically,  and  teaching  him  to  regard  every  pale-face  as  an 
enemy.  The  task,  in  this  instance,  was  not  easy;  for  Pi 
geonswing,  in  addition  to  his  general  propensities  in  favour 
of  the  '  Yankees.'  the  result  of  mere  accident,  had  con 
ceived  a  real  personal  regard  for  le  Bourdon,  and  was  very 
slow  to  admit  any  views  that  tended  to  his  injury.  The 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  221 

struggle  in  the  mind  of  the  young  warrior  was  severe ;  and 
twenty  times  was  he  on  the  point  of  warning  his  friend  o* 
the  danger  which  impended  over  the  whole  party,  when  a 
sense  of  good  faith  towards  Peter,  who  held  his  word  to 
the  contrary,  prevented  his  so  doing.  This  conflict  of 
feeling  was  now  constantly  active  in  the  breast  of  the 
young  savage. 

Pigeonswing  had  anothe-r  source  of  uneasiness,  to  which 
his  companions  were  entirely  strangers.  While  hunting 
his  keen  eyes  had  detected  the  presence  of  warriors  in  the 
openings.  It  is  true  he  had  not  seen  even  one,  but  he 
knew  that  the  signs  he  had  discovered  could  not  deceive 
him.  Not  only  were  warriors  at  hand,  but  warriors  in 
considerable  numbers.  He  had  found  one  deserted  lair, 
from  which  its  late  occupants  could  not  have  departed 
many  hours  when  it  came  under  his  own  notice.  By 
means  of  that  attentive  sagacity  which  forms  no  small  por 
tion  of  the  education  of  an  American  Indian,  Pigeonswing 
was  enabled  to  ascertain  that  this  party,  of  itself,  numbered 
seventeen,  all  of  whom  were  men  and  warriors.  The  first 
fact  was  easily  enough  to  be  seen,  perhaps,  there  being 
just  seventeen  different  impressions  left  in  the  grass;  but 
that  all  these  persons  were  armed  men,  was  learned  by 
Pigeonswing  through  evidence  that  would  have  been  over 
looked  by  most  persons.  By  the  length  of  the  lairs  he 
was  satisfied  none  but  men  of  full  stature  had  been  there ; 
and  he  even  examined  sufficiently  close  to  make  out  the 
proofs  that  all  but  four  of  these  men  carried  fire-arms. 
Strange  as  it  may  seem  to  those  who  do  not  know  how  keen 
the  senses  become  when  whetted  by  the  apprehensions 
and  wants  of  savage  life,  Pigeonswing  was  enabled  to 
discover  signs  which  showed  that  the  excepted  were  pro 
vided  with  bows,  and  arrows,  and  spears. 

When  the  bee-hunter  and  his  companion  came  in  sight 
of  the  carcase  of  the  bear,  which  they  did  shortly  after 
the  last  remark  which  we  have  given  in  the  dialogue  re 
corded,  the  former  exclaimed  with  a  little  surprise — 

"How's  this,  Chippewa!  You  have  killed  this  beast 
with  your  bow !  Did  you  not  hunt  with  the  rifle  vester 
day?" 


222  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

"  Bad  fire  rifle  off  now-a-days,"  answered  Pigeonswing, 
sententiously.  "  Make  noise — noise  no  good." 

"  Noise !"  repeated  the  perfectly  unsuspecting  bee- 
hunter.  "  Little  good  or  little  harm  can  noise  do  in  these 
openings,  where  there  is  neither  mountains  to  give  back 
an  echo,  or  ear  to  be  startled.  The  crack  of  iny  rifle  has 
rung  through  these  groves  a  hundred  times  and  no  harm 
come  of  it." 

"  Forget  war-time  now.  Bess  nebber  fire,  less  can't  help 
him.  Pottawattainie  hear  great  way  off." 

"Oh!  That's  it,  is  it!  You're  afraid  our  old  friends 
the  Pottawattarnies  may  find  us  out,  and  come  lo  Uiank  us 
for  all  that  happened  down  at  the  river's  mouth.  Well," 
continued  le  Bourdon,  laughing,  "  if  they  wish  another 
whiskey-spring,  I  have  a  small  jug  left,  safely  hid  against 
a  wet  day ;  a  very  few  drops  will  answer  to  make  a  tolera 
ble  spring.  You  red-skins  don't  know  everything,  Pigeons- 
wing,  though  you  are  so  keen  and  quick-witted  on  a  trail." 

"Bess  not  tell  Pottawattamie  any  more  'bout  spring," 
answered  the  Chippewa,  gravely ;  for  by  this  time  he  re 
garded  the  state  of  things  in  the  openings  to  be  so  serious 
as  to  feel  little  disposition  to  mirth.  "  Why  you  don't  go 
home,  eh?  Why  don't  med'cine-man  go  home,  too  ?  Bess 
for  pale-face  to  be  wid  pale-face  when  red  man  go  on  war 
path.  Colour  bess  keep  wid  colour." 

"  I  see  you  want  to  be  rid  of  us,  Pigeonswing ;  but  the 
parson  has  no  thought  of  quitting  this  part  of  the  world 
until  he  has  convinced  all  the  red-skins  that  they  are 
Jews." 

"What  he  mean,  eh?"  demanded  the  Chippewa,  with 
more  curiosity  than  it  was  usual  for  an  Indian  warrior  to 
betray.  "  What  sort  of  man  Jew,  eh?  Why  call  red  man 
Jew?" 

"  I  know  very  little  more  about  it  than  you  do  yourself, 
Pigeonswing ;  but  such  as  my  poor  knowledge  is,  you're 
welcome  to  it.  You've  heard  of  the  Bible,  I  dare  say?" 

"  Sartain — med'cine-man  read  him  Sunday.  Good  book 
to  read,  some  t'ink." 

"  Yes  it 's  all  that,  and  a  great  companion  have  I  found 
my  Bible,  when  I  've  been  alone  with  the  bees  out  here  in 
the  openings.  It  tells  us  of  our  God,  Chippewa ;  and 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  223 

teaches  us  how  we  are  to  please  him,  and  how  we  may 
offend.  It's  a  great  loss  to  you  red-skins  not  to  have  such 
a  book  among  you." 

"  Med'cine-man  bring  him — don't  do  much  good,  yet, 
some  day,  p'r'aps,  do  better.  How  dat  make  red  man 
Jew?" 

"  Why  this  is  a  new  idea  to  me,  though  Parson  Amen 
seems  fully  possessed  with  it.  I  suppose  you  know  what 
a  Jew  is  ?" 

"Don't  know  anyt'ing  'bout  him.     Sort  o'  nigger,  eh  ?" 

"  No,  no,  Pigeonswing,  you  're  wide  of  the  mark  thia 
time.  But,  that  we  may  understand  each  other,  we'll  be 
gin  at  the  beginning  like,  which  will  let  you  into  the  whole 
history  of  the  pale-face  religion.  As  we've  had  a  smart 
walk,  however,  and  here  is  the  bear's  meat  safe  and  sound, 
just  as  you  left  it,  let  us  sit  down  a  bit  on  this  trunk  of  a 
tree,  while  I  give  you  our  tradition  from  beginning  to  end, 
as  it  might  be.  In  the  first  place,  Chippewa,  the  earth 
was  made  without  creatures  of  any  sort  to  live  on  it — not 
so  much  as  a  squirrel  or  a  woodchuck." 

"  Poor  country  to  hunt  in,  dat,"  observed  the  Chippewa, 
quietly,  while  le  Bourdon  was  wiping  his  forehead  after 
removing  his  cap.  "  Ojebways  stay  in  it  very  little  time." 

"  This,  according  to  our  belief,  was  before  any  Ojebway 
lived.  At  length,  God  made  a  man,  out  of  clay,  and 
fashioned  him,  as  we  see  men  fashioned,  and  living  all 
around  us." 

"  Yes,"  answered  the  Chippewa,  nodding  his  head  in 
assent.  "Den  Manitou  put  plenty  blood  in  him  —  dat 
make  red  warrior.  Bible  good  book,  if  tell  dat  tradition." 

"The  Bible  says  nothing  about  any  colours;  but  we 
suppose  the  man  first  made  to  have  been  a  pale-face.  At 
any  rate,  the  pale-faces  have  got  possession  of  the  best  parts 
of  the  earth,  as  it  might  be,  and  I  think  they  mean  to  keep 
them.  First  come,  first  served,  you  know.  The  pale-faces 
ure  many,  and  are  strong." 

"  Stop  !"  exclaimed  Pigeonswing,  in  a  way  that  was  very 
unusual  for  an  Indian  to  interrupt  another  when  speaking; 
'  want  to  ask  question  —  How  many  pale-face  you  t'irik  is 
dere  I  Ebber  count  him  ?" 

'Count  them!  —  Why,  Chippewa,  you  might  as  well 


224  THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

count  the  bees,  as  they  buzz  around  a  fallen  tree.  You 
saw  me  cut  down  the  tree  I  last  discovered,  and  saw  the 
movement  of  the  little  animals,  and  may  judge  what  success 
tongue,  or  eye,  would  have  in  counting  them;  now,  just  as 
true  would  it  be  to  suppose  that  any  man  could  count  the 
pale-faces  on  this  earth." 

"  Don't  want  count  all,"  answered  Pigeonswing.  "  Want 
to  know  how  many  dis  side  of  great  salt  lake." 

"  That 's  another  matter,  and  more  easily  come  at.  1 
understand  you,  now,  Chippewa;  you  wish  to  know  how 
many  of  us  there  are  in  the  country  we  call  America?" 

"  Juss  so,"  returned  Pigeonswing,  nodding  in  assent. 
"  Dat  juss  it — juss  what  Injin  want  to  know." 

"  Well,  we  do  have  a  count  of  our  own  people,  from  time 
to  time,  and  I  suppose  come  about  as  near  to  the  truth  as 
men  can  come  in  such  a  matter.  There  must  be  about 
eight  millions  of  us  altogether ;  that  is,  old  and  young,  big 
and  little,  male  and  female." 

"  How  many  warrior  you  got?  —  don't  want  hear  about 
squaw  and  pappoose." 

"  No,  I  see  you  're  warlike  this  morning,  and  want  to  see 
how  we  are  likely  to  come  out  of  this  struggle  with  your 
Great  Canada  Father.  Counting  all  round,  I  think  we 
might  muster  hard  on  upon  a  million  of  fighting-men — 
good,  bad,  and  indifferent ;  that  is  to  say,  there  must  be  a 
million  of  us  of  proper  age  to  go  into  the  wars." 

Pigeonswing  made  no  answer  for  near  a  minute.  Both 
he  and  the  bee-hunter  had  come  to  a  halt  alongside  of  the 
bear's  meat,  and  the  latter  was  beginning  to  prepare  his 
own  portion  of  the  load  for  transportation,  while  his  com 
panion  stood  thus  motionless,  lost  in  thought.  Suddenly, 
Pigeonswing  recovt  red  his  recollection,  and  resumed  the 
conversation,  by  saying — 

"  What  million  mean,  Bourdon  ?  How  many  time  so'ger 
at  Detroit,  and  so'ger  on  lakes?" 

"A  million  is  more  than  the  leaves  on  all  the  trees  in 
these  openings" — le  Bourdon's  notions  were  a  little  exag 
gerated,  perhaps,  but  this  was  what  he  said — "  yes,  more 
than  the  leaves  on  all  these  oaks,  far  and  near.  A  million 
is  a  coivitless  number,  and  I  suppose  would  make  a  row  of 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  225 

men  as  long  as  from  this  spot  to  the  shores  of  the  great  salt 
lake,  if  not  further." 

It  is  probable  that  the  bee-hunter,  himself,  had  no  very 
clear  notion  of  the  distance  of  which  he  spoke,  or  of  the 
number  of  men  it  would  actually  require  to  fill  the  space 
he  mentioned ;  but  his  answer  sufficed  deeply  to  impress 
the. imagination  of  the  Indian,  u  ho  now  helped  le  Bourdon 
to  secure  his  load  to  his  back,  in  silence,  receiving  the 
same  service  in  return.  When  the  meat  of  the  bear  was 
securely  bestowed,  each  resumed  his  rifle,  and  the  friends 
commenced  their  march  in,  towards  the  chientc ;  convers 
ing,  as  they  went,  on  the  matter  which  still  occupied  their 
minds.  When  the  bee-hunter  again  took  up  the  history  of 
the  creation,  it  was  to  speak  of  our  common  mother. 

"  You  will  remember,  Chippewa,"  he  said,  "  that  I  told 
you  nothing  on  the  subject  of  any  woman.  What  I  have 
told  you,  as  yet,  consarned  only  the  first  man,  who  was  made 
out  of  clay,  into  whom  God  breathed  the  breath  of  life." 

"  Dat  good  —  make  warrior  fuss.  Juss  right.  When 
breat'  in  him,  fit  to  take  scalp,  eh?" 

"  Why,  as  to  that,  it  is  not  easy  to  see  whom  he  was  to 
scalp,  seeing  that  he  was  quite  alone  in  the  world,  until  it 
pleased  his  Creator  to  give  him  a  woman  for  a  companion." 

"  Tell  'bout  dat,"  returned  Pigeonswing,  with  interest — 
"  tell  how  he  got  squaw." 

"  Accordin'  to  the  Bible,  God  caused  ihis  man  to  fall  into 
a  deep  sleep,  when  he  took  one  of  his  ribs,  and  out  of  that, 
he  made  a  squaw  for  him.  Then  he  put  them  both  to  live 
together,  in  a  most  beautiful  garden,  in  which  all  things 
excellent  and  pleasant  was  to  be  found  —  some  such  place, 
as  these  openings,  I  reckon." 

"Any  bee  dere?"  asked  the  Indian,  quite  innocently. 
"Plenty  honey,  eh?" 

"  That  will  I  answer  for  !  It  could  hardly  be  otherwise, 
when  it  was  the  intention  to  make  the  first  man  and  first 
woman  perfectly  happy.  I  dare  say,  Chippewa,  if  the  truth 
was  known,  it  would  be  found  that  bees  was  a  sipping  at 
every  flower  in  that  most  delightful  garden !" 

"  Why  pale-face  quit  dat  garden,  eh? — Why  come  here 
to  drive  poor  Injin  'way  from  game?  Tell  me  dat,  Bour- 


226  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

don,  if  he  can  ?  Why  pale-face  ever  leave  dot  garden, 
when  he  so  han'some,  eh?' 

"God  turned  him  out  of  it,  Chippewa  —  yes,  he  was 
turned  out  of  it,  with  shame  on  his  face,  for  having  dis 
obeyed  the  commandments  of  his  Creator.  Having  left 
the  garden,  his  children  have  scattered  over  the  face  of  the 
earth." 

"  So  come  here  to  drive  off  Injin  !  Well,  dat  'e  way  vvid 
pale-face !  Did  ever  hear  of  red  man  comin'  to  drive  off 
pale-face  ?" 

"  I  have  heard  of  your  red  warriors  often  coming  to  take 
our  scalps,  Chippewa.  More  or  less  of  this  has  been  done 
every  year,  since  our  people  have  landed  in  America. 
More  than  that  they  have  not  done,  for  we  are  too  many 
to  be  driven  very  far  in,  by  a  few  scattering  tribes  of 
Injins." 

"T'ink,  den,  more  pale-face  dan  Injin,  eh?"  asked  the 
Chippewa,  with  an  interest  so  manifest,  that  he  actually 
stopped  in  his  semi-trot,  in  order  to  put  the  question — 
"  More  pale-face  warrior  dan  red  men?" 

"  More  !  Ay,  a  thousand  times  more,  Chippewa.  Where 
you  could  show  one  warrior,  we  could  show  a  thousand  !'T 

Now,  this  was  not  strictly  true,  perhaps,  but  it  answered 
the  purpose  of  deeply  impressing  the  Chippewa  with  the 
uselessness  of  Peter's  plans,  and,  sustained  as  it  was  by  his 
early  predilections,  it  served  to  keep  him  on  the  right  side, 
in  the  crisis  which  was  approaching.  The  discourse  con 
tinued,  much  in  the  same  strain,  until  the  men  got  in  with 
their  bear's  meat,  having  been  preceded  some  time  by  the 
others,  with  the  venison. 

It  is  a  little  singular  that  neither  the  questions,  nor  the 
manner  of  Pigeonswing,  awakened  any  distrust  in  the  bee- 
hunter.  So  far  from  this,  the  latter  regarded  all  that  had 
passed  as  perfectly  natural,  and  as  likely  to  arise  in  con 
versation,  in  the  way  of  pure  speculation,  as  in  any  other 
manner.  Pigeonswing  intended  to  be  guarded  in  what  he 
said  and  did,  for,  as  yet,  he  had  not  made  up  his  mind 
which  side  he  would  really  espouse,  in  the  event  of  the 
great  project  coming  to  a  head.  He  had  the  desire,  natu 
ral  to  a  red  man,  to  avenge  the  wrongs  committed  against 
his  race;  but  this  desire  existed  in  a  form  a  good  deal 


THE     OAK    OPENINGS.  227 

mitigated  by  his  intercourse  with  the  "  Yankees,"  and  his 
regard  for  individuals.  It  had,  nevertheless,  strangely  oc 
curred  to  the  savage  reasoning  of  this  young  warrior,  that, 
possibly,  some  arrangement  might  be  effected,  by  means 
of  which  he  should  take  scalps  from  the  Canadians,  while 
Peter  and  his  other  followers  were  working  their  will  on 
the  Americans.  In  this  confused  condition,  was  the  mind 
of  the  Chippewa,  when  he  and  his  companion  threw  down 
their  loads,  near  the  place  where  the  provision  of  game  was 
usually  kept.  This  was  beneath  the  tree,  near  the  spring 
and  the  cook-house,  in  order  that  no  inconvenience  should 
arise  from  its  proximity  to  the  place  where  the  party  dwelt 
and  slept.  For  a  siege,  should  there  be  occasion  to  shut 
themselves  up  within  the  "garrison,"  the  men  depended 
on  the  pickled  pork,  and  a  quantity  of  dried  meat;  of  the 
latter  of  which,  the  missionary  had  brought  a  considerable 
supply  in  his  own  canoe.  Among  these  stores,  were  a  few 
dozen  of  buffaloe's,  or  bison's,  tongues,  a  delicacy  that 
would  honour  the  best  table  in  the  civilized  world,  though 
then  so  common  among  the  western  hunters,  as  scarce  to 
be  deemed  food  as  good  as  the  common  salted  pork  an& 
beef  of  the  settlements. 

The  evening  that  followed  proved  to  be  one  of  singular 
softness  and  sweetness.  The  sun  went  down  in  a  cloud 
less  sky,  and  gentle  airs  from  the  south-west  fanned  the 
warm  cheeks  of  Margery,  as  she  sat,  resting  from  the 
labours  of  the  day,  with  le  Bourdon  at  her  side,  speaking 
of  the  pleasures  of  a  residence  in  such  a  spot.  The  youth 
was  eloquent,  for  he  felt  all  that  he  said,  and  the  maiden 
was  pleased.  The  young  man  could  expatiate  on  bees  in 
a  way  to  arrest  any  one's  attention;  and  Margery  delighted 
to  hear  him  relate  his  adventures  with  these  little  crea- 
tnres ;  his  successes,  losses,  and  journeys. 

"  But  are  you  not  often  lonely,  Bourdon,  living  here  in 
the  openings,  whole  summers  at  a  time,  without  a  living 
soul  to  speak  to?"  demanded  Margery,  colouring  to  the 
eyes,  the  instant  the  question  was  asked,  lest  it  should  sub 
ject  her  to  an  imputation  against  which  her  modesty  re 
volted,  that  of  wishing  to  draw  the  discourse  to  a  discussion 
on  the  means  of  preventing  this  solitude  in  future. 

"  I  have  not  been,  hitherto,"  answered  le  Bourdon,  so 


228  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

frankly  as  at  once  to  quiet  his  companion'*  sensitiveness, 
"  though  I  will  not  answer  for  the  future.  Now  that  1  have 
so  many  with  me,  we  may  make  some  of  them  necessary. 
Mind — I  say  some,  not  all  of  my  present  guests.  If  I  could 
have  my  pick,  pretty  Margery,  the  present  company  would 
give  me  all  I  can  desire,  and  more  too.  I  should  not  think 
of  going  to  Detroit  for  that  companion,  since  she  is  to  be 
found  so  much  nearer." 

Margery  blushed,  and  looked  down — then  she  raised  her 
eyes,  smiled,  and  seemed  grateful  as  well  as  pleased.  By 
this  time  she  had  become  accustomed  to  such  remarks,  and 
she  had  no  difficulty  in  discovering  her  lover's  wishes, 
though  he  had  never  been  more  explicit.  The  reflections 
natural  to  her  situation  threw  a  shade  of  gentle  seriousness 
over  her  countenance,  rendering  her  more  charming  than 
ever,  and  causing  the  youth  to  plunge  deeper  and  deeper 
i-nto  the  meshes  that  female  influence  had  cast  around  him, 
In  all  this,  however,  one  of  the  parties  was  governed  by  3 
manly  sincerity,  and  the  other  by  girlish  artlessness.  Dif 
fidence,  one  of  the  most  certain  attendants  of  a  pure  pas 
sion,  alone  kept  le  Bourdon  from  asking  Margery  to  be 
come  his  wife;  while  Margery,  herself,  sometimes  doubted 
whether  it  were  possible  that  any  reputable  man  could 
wish  to  connect  himself  and  his  fortunes  with  a  family  that 
had  sunk  as  low  as  persons  could  well  sink,  in  this  coun 
try,  and  not  lose  their  characters  altogether.  With  these 
doubts  and  distrusts,  so  naturally  affecting  the  mind  of 
each,  these  young  people  were  rapidly  becoming  more  and 
more  enamoured;  the  bee-hunter  betraying  his  passion  in 
the  close,  absorbed  attentions  that  more  properly  belong 
to  his  sex,  while  that  of  Margery  was  to  be  seen  in  sudden 
blushes,  the  thoughtful  brow,  the  timid  glance,  and  a  cast 
of  tenderness  that  came  over  her  whole  manner,  and,  as  it 
might  be,  her  whole  being. 

While  our  young  folk  were  thus  employed,  now  convers 
ing  cheerfully,  now  appearing  abstracted  and  lost  in 
thought,  though  seated  side  by  side,  le  Bourdon  happened 
to  look  behind  him,  and  saw  that  Peter  was  regarding  them 
with  one  of  those  intense,  but  mysterious  expressions  of 
the  countenance,  that  had,  now,  more  than  once  attracted 
his  attention;  giving  reason,  each  time,  for  a  feeling  in 


THE     OAK    OPENINGS.  229 

vvhich  doubt,  curiosity  and  apprehension  were  singularly 
mingled,  even  in  himself. 

At  the  customary  hour,  which  was  always  early,  ,n  that 
party  of  simple  habits,  the  whole  family  sought  its  rest; 
the  females  withdrew  within  the  chiente,  while  the  males 
arranged  their  skins  without.  Ever  since  the  erection  of 
the  palisades,  le  Bourdon  had  been  in  the  habit  of  calling 
Hive  within  the  defences,  leaving  him  at  liberty  to  roan) 
about  inside,  at  pleasure.  Previously  to  this  new  arrange 
ment,  the  dog  had  been  shut  up  in  his  kennel,  in  order  to 
prevent  his  getting  on  the  track  of  a  deer,  or  in  close  com 
bat  with  some  bear,  when  his  master  was  not  present  to 
profit  by  his  efforts.  As  the  palisades  were  too  high  for 
his  leap,  this  putting  him  at  liberty  within  them,  answered 
the  double  purpose  of  giving  the  mastiff  room  for  healthful 
exercise,  and  of  possessing  a  most  vigilant  sentinel  against 
dangers  of  all  sorts.  On  the  present  occasion,  however, 
the  dog  was  missing,  and  after  calling  and  whistling  for 
him  some  time,  the  bee-hunter  was  fain  to  bar  the  gate, 
and  leave  him  on  the  outside.  This  done,  he  sought  his 
skin,  and  was  soon  asleep. 

It  was  midnight,  when  the  bee-hunter  felt  a  hand  laid 
on  his  own  arm.  It  was  the  corporal,  making  this  move 
ment,  in  order  to  awake  him.  In  an  instant  the  young 
man  was  on  his  feet,  with  his  rifle  in  his  hand. 

"  Did  you  not  hear  it,  Bourdon?"  demanded  the  corpo 
ral,  in  a  tone  so  low  as  scarce  to  exceed  a  whisper. 

"Hear  what!  I've  been  sleeping,  sound  as  a  bee  in 
winter." 

"  The  horn  ! — The  horn  has  been  blown  twice,  and,  I 
think,  we  shall  soon  hear  it  again." 

"  The  horn  was  hanging  at  the  door  of  the  chientt,  and 
the  conch,  too.  It  will  be  easy  to  see  if  they  are  in  their 
places. 

It  was  only  necessary  to  walk  around  the  walls  of  the 
hut,  to  its  opposite  side,  in  order  to  ascertain  this  fact.  Le 
Bourdon  did  so,  accompanied  by  the  corporal,  and  just  as 
each  laid  a  hand  on  the  instruments,  which  were  suspended 
in  their  proper  places,  a  heavy  rush  was  made  against  the 
gate,  as  if  to  try  its  fastenings.  These  pushes  were  re 
peated  several  times,  with  a  violence  that  menaced  the 
20 


230  THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

bars.  Of  course,  the  two  men  stepped  to  the  spot,  a  dis 
tance  of  only  a  few  paces,  the  gateway  of  the  palisades  and 
the  door  of  the  chientg  being  contiguous  to  each  other,  and 
immediately  ascertained  that  it  was  the  mastiff,  endea 
vouring  to  force  his  way  in.  The  bee-hunter  admitted  the 
dog,  which  had  been  trained  to  suppress  his  bark,  though 
this  animal  was  too  brave  and  large  to  throw  away  his 
breath,  when  he  had  better  rely  on  his  force.  Powerful  ani 
mals,  of  this  race,  are  seldom  noisy,  it  being  the  province 
of  the  cur,  both  among  dogs  and  men,  to  be  blustering  and 
spitting  out  their  venom,  at  all  hours  and  seasons.  Hive, 
however,  in  addition  to  his  natural  disposition,  had  been 
taught,  from  the  time  he  was  a  pup,  not  to  betray  his  pre 
sence  unnecessarily  by  a  bark ;  and  it  was  seldom  that  his 
deep  throat  opened  beneath  the  arches  of  the  oaks.  When 
it  did,  it  told  like  the  roaring  of  the  lion  in  the  desert. 

Hive  was  no  sooner  admitted  to  the  '  garrison/  than  he 
manifested  just  as  strong  a  desire  to  get  out,  as,  a  moment 
before,  he  had  manifested  to  get  in.  This,  le  Bourdon 
well  knew,  indicated  the  presence  of  some  thing,  or  crea 
ture,  that  did  not  properly  belong  to  the  vicinity.  After 
consulting  with  the  corporal,  Pigeonswing  was  called;  and 
leaving  him  as  a  sentinel  at  the  gate,  the  two  others  made 
a  sortie.  The  corporal  was  as  brave  as  a  lion,  and  loved 
all  such  movements,  though  he  fully  anticipated  encounter 
ing  savages,  while  his  companion  expected  an  interview 
with  bears. 

As  this  movement  was  made  at  the  invitation  of  the  dog, 
it  was  judiciously  determined  to  let  him  act  as  pioneer,  on 
the  advance.  Previously  to  quitting  the  defences,  how 
ever,  the  two  adventurers  looked  closely  to  their  arms. 
Each  examined  the  priming,  saw  that  his  horn  and  pouch 
were  accessible,  and  loosened  his  knife  in  its  sheath.  The 
corporal,  moreover,  fixed  his  "  baggonet,"  as  he  called  the 
formidable,  glittering  instrument  that  usually  embellished 
the  end  of  ms  musket  —  a  musket  being  the  weapon  he 
chose  to  carry,  while  the  bee-hunter,  himself,  was  armed 
with  a  long,  western  rifle. 


THE      OAK      Oi'ENlNGS.  '23\ 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

"  The  raptures  of  a  conqueror's  mood 

"  Rush'd  burning  through  his  frame ; 
"  The  depths  of  that  green  solitudft 

"  Its  torrents  could  not  tame, 
"  Though  stillness  lay,  with  eve's  last  smile, 

"  Round  those  far  fountains  of  the  Nile." 

Mrs.  Hemans. 

WHEN  the  bee  hunter  and  corporal  Flint  thus  went  forth 
*.  midnight,  from  the  "garrison"  of  Castle  Meal,  (chateau 
an  miel,)  as  the  latter  would  have  expressed  it,  it  was  with 
no  great  apprehension  of  meeting  any  other  than  a  four- 
fooied  enemy,  notwithstanding  the  blast  of  the  horn  the 
worthy  corporal  supposed  he  had  heard.  The  movements 
of  the  dog  seemed  to  announce  such  a  result  rather  than 
any  otner,  for  Hive  was  taken  along  as  a  sort  of  guide. 
Le  Bourdon,  however,  did  not  permit  his  mastiff  to  run 
off  wide,  but,  having  the  animal  at  perfect  command,  it 
was  kept  close  to  his  own  person. 

The  two  men  first  moved  towards  the  grove  of  the  Kitch 
en,  much  to  Hive's  discontent.  The  dog  several  times 
halted,  and  he  whined,  and  growled,  and  otherwise  man 
ifested  his  great  dislike  to  proceed  in  that  direction.  At 
length  so  decided  did  his  resistance  become,  that  his  mas 
ter  said  to  his  companion, 

"  It  seems  to  me  best,  corporal,  to  let  the  mastiff  lead 
us.  I  have  never  yet  seen  him  so  set  on  not  going  in  one 
way,  and  on  going  in  another.  Hive  has  a  capital  nose, 
and  we  may  trust  him." 

41  Forward,"  returned  the  corporal,  wheeling  short  in 


232  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

the  direction  of  the  dog;  "  one  thing  should  be  understood 
however,  Bourdon,  which  is  this — you  must  act  as  ligh 
troops  in  this  sortie,  and  I  as  the  main  body.     If  we  come 
on  the  inimy,  it  will  be  your  duty  to  skrimmage  in  front  as 
long  as  you  can,  arid  then  fall  back  on  on  your  resarves. 
I  shall  depend  chiefly  on  the  baggonet,   which  is  the  best 
tool  to  put  an  Injin  up  with  ;    and  as  he  falls  back,   before 
rny  charge,  we  must  keep  him  under  as  warm  a  fire   as 
possible.     Having  no  cavalry,  the  dog  might  be  made  use 
ful  in  movements  to  the  front  and  on  our  flanks." 

"  Pooh,  pooh,  corporal,  you're  almost  as  much  set  in 
the  notions  of  your  trade  as  parson  Amen  is  set  in  his 
idees  about  the  lost  tribes.  In  my  opinion  there'll  be 
more  tribes  found  in  these  openings  before  the  summer  is 
over  than  we  shall  wish  to  meet.  Let  us  follow  the  dog, 
and  see  what  will  turn  up."  Hive  was  followed,  and  he 
took  a  direction  that  led  to  a  distant  point  in  the  openings, 
"where,  not  only  the  trees  were  much  thicker  than  com 
mon,  but  where  a  small  tributary  of  the  Kalamazoo  ran 
through  a  ravine,  from  the  higher  lands  adjacent  into  the 
main  artery  of  all  the  neighboring  water  courses.  The 
bee-hunter  knew  the  spot  well,  having  often  drank  at  the 
rivulet,  and  cooled  his  brow  in  the  close  shades  of  the 
ravine,  when  heated  by  exertions  in  the  more  open  grounds. 
In  short,  the  spot  was  one  of  the  most  eligible  for  conceal 
ment,  coolness,  and  pure  water,  within  several  miles  of 
Castle  Meal.  The  trees  formed  a  spacious  grove  around 
it,  and,  by  means  of  the  banks,  their  summits  and  leaves 
answered  the  purpose  of  a  perfect  screen  to  those  who 
might  descend  into  the  ravine,  or,  it  would  be  better  to 
say,  to  the  bottom.  Le  Bourdon  was  no  sooner  satisfied 
that  his  mastiff  was  proceeding  towards  the  great  spring 
which  formed  the  rivulet,  at  the  head  of  the  ravine  men 
tioned,  than  he  suspected  Indians  might  be  there.  He  had 
seen  signs  about  the  spot,  which  wore  an  appearance  of 
its  having  been  used  as  a  place  of  encampment — or  for 
"  camping  out,"  as  it  is  termed  in  the  language  of  the  west 
—and,  coupling  the  sound  of  the  horn  with  the  dog's 
movements,  his  quick  apprehension  seized  on  the  facts  as 
affording  reasonable  grounds  of  distrust.  Consequently 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

he  resorted  to  great  caution,  as  he  and  the  corporal  en 
tered  the  wood  which  surrounded  the  spring,  and  the 
small  oval  bit  of  bottom  that  lay  spread  before  it,  like  a 
little  lawn.  Hive  was  kept  close  at  his  master's  side, 
though  he  manifested  a  marked  impatience  to  advance. 
"  Now,  corporal,"  said  the  bee-hunter  in  a  low  tone,  "  I 
think  we  have  lined  some  savages  to  their  holes.  We  will 
jjo  round  the  basin  and  descend  to  the  bottom,  in  a  close 
wood  which  grows  there.  Did  you  see  that  T' 

"  I  suppose  I  did,"  answered  the  corporal,  who  was  as 
firm  as  a  rock — "  You  meant  to  ask  me  if  I  saw  fire?" 

"  I  did.  The  red  men  have  lighted  their  council  fire 
in  this  spot,  and  have  met  to  talk  around  it.  Well,  let 
'em  hearken  to  each  other's  thoughts,  if  they  will  ;  we 
shall  be  neither  the  better  nor  the  worse  for  it." 

"  I  don't  know  that.  When  the  commander  in  chief 
calls  together  his  principal  officers,  something  usually 
comes  of  it.  Who  knows  but  this  very  council  is  called 
in  order  to  take  opinions  on  the  subject  of  besieging  or 
of  storming  our  new  garrison  1  Prudent  soldiers  should 
always  be  ready  for  the  worst." 

"  I  have  no  fear,  so  long  as  Peter  is  with  us.  That 
chief  is  listened  to  by  every  red  skin  ;  and  while  we  have 
him  among  us  there  will  be  little  to  care  for.  But  we  are 
getting  near  to  the  bottom,  and  must  work  our  way 
through  these  bushes  with  as  little  noise  as  possible.  I 
will  keep  the  dog  quiet." 

The  manner  in  which  that  sagacious  animal  now  be 
haved  was  truly  wonderful.  Hive  appeared  to  be  quite  as 
much  aware  of  the  necessity  of  extreme  caution  as  either 
of  the  men,  and  did  not  once  attempt  to  precede  his  mas 
ter  his  own  length.  On  one  or  two  occasions  he  actually 
discovered  the  best  passages,  and  led  his  companions 
through  them  with  something  like  the  intelligence  of  a 
human  being.  Neither  growl  nor  bark  escaped  him;  on 
the  contrary,  even  the  hacking  breathing  of  an  impatient 
dog  was  suppressed,  precisely  as  if  the  animal  knew  how 
near  he  was  getting  to  the  most  watchful  ears  in  the  world. 

After  using  the  greatest  care,  the  bee-hunter  and  the 
corporal  got  just  such  a  station  as  they  desired.  It  was 


234  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

within  a  very  few  feet  of  the  edge  of  the  cover,  but  per 
fectly  concealed,  while  small  openings  enabled  them  to 
see  all  that  was  passing  in  their  front.  A  fallen  tree, 
a  relick  of  somewhat  rare  occurrence  in  the  Openings  of 
Michigan,  even  furnished  them  with  a  seat,  while  it  ren 
dered  their  position  less  exposed.  Hive  placed  himself 
at  his  master's  side,  apparently  trusting  to  other  senses 
than  that  of  sight  for  his  information,  since  he  could  see 
nothing  of  what  was  going  on  in  front. 

As  soon  as  the  two  men  had  taken  their  stations,  and 
began  to  look  about  them,  a  feeling  of  awe  mingled  with 
their  curiosity.  Truly,  the  scene  was  one  so  very  remark 
able  and  imposing,  that  it  might  have  filled  more  intellec 
tual  and  better  fortified  minds  with  some  such*sensation. 
The  fire  was  by  no  means  large,  nor  was  it  particularly 
bright ;  but  sufficient  to  cast  a  dim  light  on  the  objects 
within  reach  of  its  rays.  It  was  in  the  precise  centre  of  a 
bit  of  bottom  land  of  about  half  an  acre  in  extentr  which 
was  so  formed  and  surrounded,  as  to  have  something  of 
the  appearance  of  the  arena  of  a  large  amphitheatre. — 
There  was  one  break  in  the  encircling  rise  of  ground,  it 
is  true,  and  that  was  at  a  spot  directly  opposite  the  station 
of  Le  Bourdon  and  his  companion,  where  the  rill  which 
flowed  from  the  spring  found  a  passage  out  toward  the 
more  open  ground.  Branches  shaded  most  of  the  mound, 
but  the  arena  itself  was  totally  free  from  all  vegetation  but 
that  which  covered  the  dense  and  beautiful  sward  with 
which  it  was  carpeted.  Such  is  a  brief  description  of  the 
natural  accessories  of  this  remarkable  scene. 

But  it  was  from  the  human  actors,  and  their  aspects, 
occupations,  movements,  dress,  and  appearance  gener 
ally,  that  the  awe  which  came  over  both  the  bee-hunter 
and  the  corporal,  had  its  oigin.  Of  these,  near  fifty  were 
present,  offering  a  startling  force  by  their  numbers  alone. 
Each  man  was  a  warrior,  and  each  warrior  was  in  his 
paint.  These  were  facts  that  the  familiarity  of  the  two 
white  men  with  Indian  customs  rendered  only  too  certain. 
What  was  still  more  striking  was  the  fact  that  all  present 
appeared  to  be  chiefs ;  a  circumstance  which  went  to 
show  that  an  imposing  body  of  red  men  was  most  likely 


THE    OAK     OPENINGS.  235 

somewhere  in  the  Openings,  and  that  too  at  no  great  dis 
tance.  It  was  while  observing,  and  reflecting  on  all  these 
things,  a  suspicion  first  crossed  the  mind  of  le  Bourdon 
that  this  great  council  was  about  to  be  held,  at  that  mid 
night  hour,  and  so  near  his  own  abode,  for  the  purpose 
of  accommodating  Peter,  whose  appearance  in  the  dark 
crowd,  from  that  instant,  he  began  to  expect. 

The  Indians  already  present  were  not  seated.  They 
stood  in  groups,  conversing,  or  stalked  across  the  arena, 
resembling  so  many  dark  and  stately  spectres.  No  sound 
was  heard  among  them,  a  circumstance  that  added  largely 
to  the  wild  and  supernatural  aspect  of  the  scene.  If  any 
spoke,  it  was  in  a  tone  so  low  and  gentle,  as  to  carry  the 
sound  no  further  than  to  the  ears  that  were  listening; 
two  never  spoke  at  the  same  time  and  in  the  same 
group,  while  the  moccasin  permitted  no  foot-fall  to  be 
audible.  Nothing  could  have  been  more  unearthly  than 
the  picture  presented  in  that  little,  wood-circled  arena,  of 
velvet-like  grass  and  rural  beauty.  The  erect,  stalking 
forms,  half  naked,  if  not  even  more  ;  the  swarthy  skins  ; 
the  faces  fierce  in  the  savage  conceits  which  were  intended 
to  strike  terror  into  the  bosoms  of  enemies,  and  the  glit 
tering  eyes  that  fairly  sparkled  in  their  midst,  all  contrib 
uted  to  the  character  of  the  scene,  which  le  Bourdon 
rightly  enough  imagined  was  altogether  much  the  most 
remarkable  of  any  he  had  ever  been  in  the  way  of  wit 
nessing. 

Our  two  spectators  might  have  been  seated  on  the  fallen 
tree  half  an  ^our,  all  of  which  time  they  had  been  gazing 
at  what  was  passing  before  their  eyes  ;  with  positively  not 
a  human  sound  to  relieve  the  unearthly  nature  of  the  pic 
ture.  No  one  spoke,  coughed,  laughed,  or  exclaimed,  in 
all  that  period.  Suddenly,  every  chief  stood  still,  and  all 
the  faces  turned  in  the  same  direction.  It  was  towards 
the  little  gate-way  of  the  rill,  which  being  the  side  of  the 
arena  most  remote  from  the  bee-hunter  and  the  corporal, 
lay  nearly  in  darkness  ks  respected  them.  With  the  red 
men  it  must  have  been  different,  for  they  all  appeared  to 
be  in  intent  expectation  of  some  one  from  that  quarter. 
Nor  did  they  have  to  wait  long  ;  for,  in  half  a  minute,  two 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

forms  came  out  of  the  obscurity,  advancing  with  a  digni 
fied  and  deliberate  tread  to  the  centre  of  the  arona. — 
As  these  new  comers  got  more  within  the  influence  of  the 
flickering  light,  le  Bourdon  saw  that  they  were  Peter  and 
Pnrson  Amen.  The  first  led,  with  a  slow,  imposing  man 
ner,  while  the  other  followed,  not  a  little  bewildered  with 
what  he  saw.  It  may  be  as  well  to  explain  here,  that  the 
Indian  was  coming  alone  to  this  place  of  meeting,  when 
he  encountered  the  missionary  wandering  among  the  oaks, 
looking  forle  Bourdon  and  the  corporal,  and,  instead  of 
endeavoring  to  throw  off  this  unexpected  companion,  he 
quietly  invited  him  to  be  of  his  own  party. 

It  was  evident  to  le  Bourdon,  at  a  glance,  that  Peter 
was  expected,  though  it  was  not  quite  so  clear  that  such 
was  the  fact  as  regarded  his  companion.  Still,  respect 
for  the  great  chief  prevented  any  manifestations  of  sur 
prise,  or  discontent,  and  the  medicine-man  of  the  pale 
faces  was  received  with  as  grave  a  courtesy  as  if  he  hac? 
been  an  invited  guest.  Just  as  the  two  had  entered  the 
dark  circle  that  formed  around  them,  a  young  chief  threw 
some  dry  sticks  on  the  fire,  which,  blazing  upward,  casi 
a  stronger  light  on  a  row  of  as  terrifically  looking  counte 
nances  as  ever  gleamed  on  human  forms.  This  sudden 
illumination,  with  its  accompanying  accessories,  had  the 
effect  to  startle  all  the  white  spectators,  though  Peter  looked 
on  the  whole  with  a  calm  like  that  of  the  leafless  tree, 
when  the  cold  is  at  its  height,  and  the  currents  of  the  wintry 
air  are  death-like  still.  Nothing  appeared  to  move  him  ; 
whether  expected  or  not ;  though  use  had  probably  ac 
customed  his  eye  to  all  the  aspects  in  which  savage  inge 
nuity  could  offer  savage  forms.  He  even  smiled,  as  he 
made  a  gesture  of  recognition,  which  seemed  to  salute  the 
whole  group.  It  was  just  then,  when  the  fire  burned 
brightest,  and  when  the  chiefs  pressed  most  within  its 
influence,  that  le  Bourdon  perceived  that  his  old  acquain 
tances,  the  head  men  of  the  Pottawattamies,  were  present, 
among  the  other  chiefs  so  strangely  and  portentously 
assembled  in  these  grounds  which  he  had  so  long  pos 
sessed  almost  entirely  to  himself. 

A  few  of  the  oldest  of  the  chiefs  now  approached  Petci, 


THE    OAK     OPENINGS.  231 

and  a  low  conversation  took  place  between  them.  What 
was  said  did  not  reach  le  Bourdon,  of  course  ;  for  it  was 
not  even  heard  in  the  dark  circle  of  savages  who  surround 
ed  the  fire.  The  effect  of  this  secret  dialogue,  however, 
was  to  cause  all  the  chiefs  to  bo  seated,  each  taking  his 
place  on  the  grass  ;  the  whole  preserving  the  original  cir 
cle  around  the  fire.  Fortunately,  for  the  wishes  of  le 
Bourdon,  Peter  and  his  companions  took  their  stations 
directly  opposite  to  his  own  seat,  thus  enabling  him  to 
watch  every  lineament  of  that  remarkable  chief's  still  more 
remarkable  countenance.  Unlike  each,  and  all,  of  the 
red  men  around  him,  the  face  of  Peter  was  not  painted, 
except  by  the  tints  imparted  by  nature  ;  which,  in  his  case, 
was  that  of  copper  a  little  tarnished,  or  rendered  dull  by 
the  action  of  the  atmosphere.  The  bee-hunter  could  dis 
tinctly  trace  every  lineament ;  nor  was  the  dark  roving 
eye  beyond  the  reach  of  his  own  vision.  Some  attention 
was  given  to  the  fire,  too,  one  of  the  younger  chiefs  occa 
sionally  throwing  on  it  a  few  dried  sticks,  more  to  keep 
alive  the  flame,  and  to  renew  the  light,  than  from  any 
need  of  warmth.  One  other  purpose,  however,  this  fire 
did  answer;  that  of  enabling  the  young  chiefs  to  light 
the  pipes  that  were  now  prepared  ;  it  seldom  occurring  that 
the  chiefs  thus  assembled  without  smoking  around  their 
council  fire. 

As  this  smoking  was  just  then  more  a  matter  of  cere 
mony  than  for  any  other  purpose,  a  whiff  or  two  sufficed 
for  each  chief;  the  smoker  passing  the  pipe  to  his  neigh 
bor  as  soon  as  he  had  inhaled  a  few  puffs.  The  Indians 
are  models  of  propriety  in  their  happiest  moods,  and  every 
one  in  that  dark  and  menacing  circle  was  permitted  to 
have  his  turn  with  the  pipe,  before  any  other  step  was 
taken.  There  were  but  two  pipes  lighted,  and  months 
being  numerous,  some  time  was  necessary  in  order  to  com 
plete  this  ceremony.  Still^  no  sign  of  impatience  was 
seen,  the  lowest  chief  having  as  much  respect  paid  to  his 
feelings,  as  related  to  this  attention,  as  the  highest.  At 
length  the  pipes  completed  their  circuit,  even  Paron  Amen 
getting,  and  using,  his  turn,  when  a  dead  pause  suc 
ceeded.  The  silence  resembled  that  of  a  Quaker  meet- 


238  THi.     OAK     OPENINGS. 

ing,  and  was  broken  only  by  the  rising  of  one  of  the  prin 
cipal  chiefs,  evidently  about  to  speak.  The  langmige  of 
the  great  Ojebway  nation  was  used  on  this  occasion,  niost 
of  the  chiefs  present  belonging  to  some  one  of  the  tribes 
of  that  stock,  though  several  spoke  other  tongues,  English 
and  French  included.  Of  the  three  whites  present,  Par 
son  Amen  alone  fully  comprehended  all  that  was  said,  he 
having  qualified  himself  in  this  respect,  to  preach  to  the 
tribes  of  that  people  ;  though  Je  Bourdon  understood 
nearly  all,  and  even  the  corporal  comprehended  a  good 
deal.  The  name  of  the  chief  who  first  spoke  at  this  secret 
meeting,  which  was  afterwards  knowrn  among  the  Ojeb- 
ways  by  the  name  of  the  "  Council  of  the  Bottom  Land, 
near  to  the  spring  of  gushing  water,"  was  Bear's  Meat, 
an  appellation  that  might  denote  a  distinguished  hunter, 
rather  than  an  orator  of  much  renown. 

"  Brothers  of  the  many  tribes  of  the  Ojebways,"  com 
menced  this  personage,  "  The  Great  Spirit  has  permitted 
us  to  meet  in  council.  The  Manitou  of  our  fathers  is 
now  among  these  oaks,  listening  to  our  words,  and  look 
ing  in  at  our  hearts.  Wise  Indians  will  be  careful  what 
they  say  in  such  a  presence,  and  careful  of  what  they 
think.  All  should  be  said  and  thought  for  the  best.  We 
are  a  scattered  nation,  and  the  time  is  come  when  we 
must  stop  in  our  tracks,  or  travel  beyond  the  sound  of 
each  other's  cries.  If  we  travel  beyond  the  hearing  of 
our  people,  soon  will  our  children  learn  tongues  that  Ojeb 
way  ears  oannot  understand.  The  mother  talks  to  her 
child,  and  the  child  learns  her  words.  But  no  child  can 
hear  across  a  great  lake.  Once  we  lived  near  the  rising 
sun.  Where  are  we  now?  Some  of  our  young  men  say 
they  have  seen  the  sun  go  down  in  the  lakes  of  sweet 
water.  There  can  be  no  hunting  grounds  beyond  that 
spot ;  and  if  we  would  live,  we  must  stand  still  in  our 
tracks.  How  to  do  this,  we  have  met  to  consider. 

"  Brothers,  many  wise  chiefs  and  braves  are  seated  at 
this  council  fire.  It  is  pleasant  to  my  eyes  to  look  upon 
them.  Ottawas,  Chippeways,  Pottawattamies,  Menomi- 
nees,  Hurons  arid  all.  Our  Father  at  Quebec  has  dug  up 
the  hatchet  against  the  Yankees.  The  war  path  is  open 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  23S 

between  Detroit  and  nil  the  villages  of  the  red  men.  The 
prophets  are  speaking  to  our  people,  and  we  listen.  One 
is  here  ;  he  is  about  to  speak.  The  council  will  have  but 
a  single  sense,  which  will  be  that  of  hearing." 

Thus  concluding,  Bear's  Meat  took  his  seat,  in  the 
same  composed  and  dignified  manner  as  that  in  which  he 
had  risen,  and  deep  silence  succeeded.  So  profound  was 
the  stillness  that,  taken  in  connection  with  the  dark  linea 
ments,  the  lustrous  eye-balls  that  threw  back  the  light  of 
the  fire,  the  terrific  paint  and  the  armed  hands  of  every  war 
rior  present,  the  picture  might  be  described  as  imposing  to 
a  degree  that  is  seldom  seen  in  the  assemblies  of  the 
civilized.  In  the  midst  of  this  general  but  portentous 
calm,  Peter  arose.  The  breathing  of  the  circle  grew 
deeper,  so  much  so  as  to  be  audible,  the  only  manner  in 
which  the  intensity  of  the  common  expectation  betrayed 
itself.  Peter  was  an  experienced  orator,  and  knew  how 
to  turn  every  minntiae  of  his  art  to  good  account.  His 
every  movement  was  deliberate,  his  attitude  highly  digni 
fied — even  his  eye  seemed  eloquent. 

Oratory  !  what  a  power  art  thou,  wielded,  as  is  so  often 
the  case,  as  much  for  evil  as  for  good.  The  very  reason 
ing  that  might  appear  to  be  obtuse,  or  which  would  be 
overlooked  entirely  when  written  and  published,  issuing 
from  the  mouth,  aided  by  the  feelings  of  sympathy  and 
the  impulses  of  the  masses,  seems  to  partake  of  the  wis 
dom  of  divinity.  Thus  is  it,  also,  with  the  passions,  the 
sense  of  wrong,  the  appeals  to  vengeance,  and  all  the 
other  avenues  of  human  emotion.  Let  them  be  addressed 
to  the  cold  eye  of  reason  and  judgment,  in  the  form  of 
written  statements,  and  the  mind  pauses  to  weigh  the 
force  of  arguments,  the  justice  of  the  appeals,  the  truth  of 
facts  ;  but  let  them  come  upon  the  ear  aided  by  thy  art, 
with  a  power  concentrated  by  sympathy,  and  the  torrent 
is  often  less  destructive  in  its  course,  than  that  of  the  whirl 
wind  that  thou  canst  awaken  ! 

"  Chiefs  of  the  great  Ojebway  nation,  I  wish  you  well," 
said  Feter,  stretching  out  his  arms  towards  the  circle,  as 
if  desirous  of  embracing  all  present.  "  The  Manitou  has 
been  good  to  me.  He  has  cleared  a  path  to  this  spring, 


240 


THE     OAK      OPENINGS. 


and  to  this  council  fire.  I  see  around  it  the  faces  of  many 
friends.  Why  should  we  not  all  be  friendly?  Why 
should  a  red  man  ever  strike  a  blow  against  a  red  man  1 
The  Great  Spirit  made  us  of  the  same  colour,  and  placed 
us  on  the  same  hunting  grounds.  He  meant  that  we 
should  hunt  in  company  ;  not  take  each  other's  scalps. 
How  many  warriors  have  fallen  in  our  family  wars  ? 
Who  has  counted  them  ?  Who  can  say  ?  Perhaps 
enough,  had  they  not  been  killed,  to  drive  the  pale  faces 
into  the  sea  !" 

Here  Peter,  who  as  yet  had  spoken  only  in  a  low  and 
barely  audible  voice,  suddenly  paused,  in  order  to  allow 
the  idea  he  had  just  thrown  out  to  work  on  the  minds 
of  his  listeners.  That  it  was  producing  its  effect  was  ap 
parent  by  the  manner  in  which  one  stern  face  turned  to 
wards  another,  and  eye  seemed  to  search  in  eye  some  re 
sponse  to  a  query  that  the  mind  suggested,  though  no  ut 
terance  was  given  to  it  with  the  tongue.  As  soon,  how 
ever,  as  the  orator  thought  time  sufficient  to  impress  that 
thought  on  the  memories  of  the  listeners  had  elapsed,  he 
resumed,  suffering  his  voice  gradually  to  increase  in  vol 
ume,  as  he  warmed  with  his  subject. 

"  Yes,"  he  continued,  "  the  Manitou  has  been  very 
kind.  Who  is  the  Manitou  ?  Has  any  Indian  ever  seen 
him  ?  Every  Indian  has  seen  him.  No  one  can  look  on 
the  hunting  grounds,  on  the  lakes,  on  the  prairies,  on  the 
trees,  on  the  game,  without  seeing  his  hand.  His  face  is 
to  be  seen  in  the  sun  at  noon-day  ;  his  eyes  in  the  stars 
at  night.  Has  any  Indian  ever  heard  the  Manitou  ? 
When  it  thunders,  he  speaks.  When  the  crash  is  loudest, 
then  he  scolds.  Some  Indian  has  done  wrong.  Perhaps 
one  red  man  has  taken  another  red  man's  scalp  !" 

Another  pause  succeeded,  briefer,  and  less  imposing 
than  the  first,  but  one  that  sufficed  to  impress  on  the  lis 
teners  anew,  the  great  evil  of  an  Indian's  raising  his  hand 
against  an  Indian. 

"  Yes,  there  is  no  one  so  deaf  as  not  to  hear  the  voice 
of  the  Great  Spirit  when  he  is  angry,"  resumed  Peter. 
"  Ten  thousands  of  buflaloe  bulls,  roaring  together,  do 
not  make  as  much  noise  as  his  whisper.  Spread  the  prai- 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  241 

lies,  and  the  openings,  and  the  lakes,  before  him,  and  he 
can  be  heard  in  all,  and  on  all,  at  the  same  time. 

"  Here  is  a  medicine  priest  of  the  pale-faces  ;  he  tells 
me  that  the  voice  of  the  Manitou  reaches  into  the  largest 
villages  of  his  people,  beneath  the  rising  sun,  when  it  is 
heard  by  the  red  man  across  the  great  lakes,  and  near  the 
rocks  of  the  setting  sun.  It  is  a  loud  voice ;  wo  to  him 
who  does  not  remember  it.  It  speaks  to  all  colours,  arid 
to  every  people,  and  tribe,  and  nation." 

"  Brothers,  that  is  a  lying  tradition  which  says  there 
is  one  Manitou  for  a  Sac,  and  another  for  the  Ojebway — 
one  Manitou  for  the  red  man,  and  another  for  the  pale 
face.  In  this,  we  are  alike.  One  Great  Spirit  made  all ; 
governs  all ;  rewards  all ;  punishes  all.  He  may  keep 
the  Happy  Hunting  Grounds  of  an  Indian  separate  from 
the  white  man's  Heaven,  for  he  knows  that  their  customs 
are  different,  and  what  would  please  a  warrior  would  dis 
please  a  trader ;  and  what  would  please  a  trader  would 
displease  a  warrior.  He  has  thought  of  these  things,  and 
has  made  several  places  for  the  spirits  of  the  good,  let  their 
colours  be  what  they  may.  Is  it  the  same  with  the  places 
of  the  spirits  of  the  bad  ?  I  think  not.  To  me  it  would 
seem  best  to  let  them  go  together,  that  they  may  torment 
one  another.  A  wicked  Indian  and  a  wicked  pale-face 
would  make  a  bad  neighborhood.  I  think  the  Manitou 
will  let  them  go  together. 

"  Brothers,  if  the  Manitou  keeps  the  good  Indian  and 
the  good  pale-face  apart  in  another  world,  what  has  brought 
them  together  in  this  1  If  he  brings  the  bad  spirits  of  all 
colours  together  in  another  world,  why  should  they  come 
together  here,  before  their  time  ?  A  place  for  wicked 
spirits  should  not  be  found  on  earth.  This  is  wrong  ;  it 
must  be  looked  into. 

"  Brothers,  I  have  now  done  ;  this  pale-face  wishes  to 
speak,  and  I  have  said  that  you  would  hear  his  words. 
When  he  has  spoken  his  mind,  I  may  have  more  to  tell 
you.  Now,  listen  to  the  stranger.  He  is  a  medicine- 
priest  of  the  white  men,  and  says  he  has  a  great  secret  to 
tell  our  people — when  he  has  told  it,  I  have  another  for 
21 


242 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 


their  ears,  too  Mine  must  be  spoken  when  there  is  no 
one  near  but  the  children  of  red  clay." 

Having  thus  opened  the  way  for  ihe  missionary,  Petei 
courteously  took  his  seat,  producing  a  iittle  disappoint 
ment  among  his  own  admirers,  though  he  awakened  a 
lively  curiosity  to  know  what  this  medicine-priest  might 
have  to  say  on  an  occasion  so  portentous.  The  Indians 
in  the  regions  of  the  great  lakes  had  long  been  accustomed 
to  missionaries,  and  it  is  probable  that  even  some  of  then 
own  traditions,  so  far  as  they  related  to  religious  topics, 
had  been  insensibly  coloured  by,  if  not  absolutely  derived 
from,  men  of  this  character :  for  the  first  whites  who  are 
known  to  have  penetrated  into  that  portion  of  the  conti 
nent,  were  Jesuits,  who  carried  the  cross  as  their  standard 
and  emblem  of  peace.  Blessed  emblem  !  that  any  should 
so  confound  their  own  names  and  denuciatory  practices 
with  the  revealed  truth,  as  to  imagine  that  a  standard  so 
appropriate  should  ever  be  out  of  season  and  place,  when 
it  is  proper  for  man  to  use  aught,  at  all,  that  is  addressed 
to  his  senses,  in  the  way  of  symbols,  rites  and  ceremonies  ! 
To  the  Jesuits  succeeded  the  less  ceremonious  and  less 
imposing  priesthood  of  America,  as  America  peculiarily 
was  in  the  first  years  that  followed  the  Revolution.  There 
is  reason  to  believe  that  the  spirit  of  God,  in  a  greater  or 
less  degree,  accompanied  all ;  for  all  were  self-denying 
and  zealous,  though  the  fruits  of  near  two  centuries  of  labor 
have,  as  yet,  amounted  to  little  more  than  the  promise  of 
the  harvest  at  some  distant  day.  Enough,  however,  was 
known  of  the  missionaries,  and  their  views  in  general,  to 
prepare  the  council,  in  some  small  degree,  for  the  forth 
coming  exhibition. 

Parson  Amen  had  caught  some  of  the  habits  of  llie  In- 
diacis,  in  the  course  of  years  of  communication  and  inter 
course.  Like  them  he  had  learned  to  be  deliberate,  calm 
and  dignified  in  his  exterior ;  and,  like  them,  he  had  ac 
quired  a  sententious  mode  of  speaking. 

"  My  children,"  he  said,  for  he  deemed  it  best  to  assume 
the  parental  character,  in  a  scene  of  so  great  moment, 
"  as  Peter  has  told  you,  the  Spirit  of  God  is  among  you  ! 
Christians  know  that  such  has  he  promised  to  be  always 


THE     OAK    OPENINGS.  243 

with  his  people,  and  I  see  faces  in  this  circle  that  I  am 
ready  to  claim  as  belonging  to  those  who  have  prayed 
with  me,  in  days  that  are  long  past.  If  your  souls  are  not 
touched  by  divine  love,  it  does  not  kill  the  hope  I  entertain 
of  your  yet  taking  up  the  cross,  and  calling  upon  the  Re 
deemer's  name.  But,  not  for  this,  have  I  come  with  Pe 
ter,  this  night.  I  am  now  here  to  lay  before  you  an  all 
important  fact,  that  Providence  has  revealed  to  me,  as  the 
fruit  of  long  labour  in  the  vineyard  of  study  and  biblical 
inquiry.  It  is  a  tradition — and  red  men  love  traditions — 
It  is  a  tradition  that  touches  your  own  history,  and  which 
it  will  gladden  your  hearts  to  hear,  for  it  will  teach  you 
how  much  your  nation  and  tribes  have  been  the  subject  of 
the  especial  care  and  love  of  the  Great  Spirit.  "When  my 
children  say  speak,  I  shall  be  ready  to  speak." 

Here  the  missionary  took  his  seat,  wisely  awaiting  a 
demonstration  on  the  part  of  the  council,  ere  he  ventured 
to  proceed  any  further.  This  was  the  first  occasion  on 
which  he  had  ever  attempted  to  broach,  in  a  direct  form, 
nis  favorite  theory  of  the  '  lost  tribes.'  Let  a  man  get 
once  fairly  possessed  of  any  peculiar  notion,  whether  it  be 
on  religion,  political  economy,  morals,  politics,  arts,  or  any 
thing  else,  and  he  sees  little  beside  his  beloved  principle, 
which  he  is  at  all  times  ready  to  advance,  defend,  demon 
strate,  or  expatiate  on.  Nothing  can  be  simpler  than  the 
two  great  dogmas  of  Christianity,  which  are  so  plain  that 
all  can  both  comprehend  them  and  feel  their  truth.  They 
teach  us  to  love  God,  the  surest  way  to  obey  him,  and  to 
love  our  neighbor  as  ourselves.  Any  one  can  understand 
this  ;  all  can  see  how  just  it  is,  arid  how  much  of  moral 
sublimity  it  contains.  It  is  Godlike,  and  brings  us  near  the 
very  essence  of  the  Divinity,  which  is  love,  mercy,  and 
truth.  Yet,  how  few  are  content  to  accept  the  teachings 
of  the  Saviour  in  this  respect,  without  embarrassing  them 
with  theories  that  have  so  much  of  their  origin  in  human 
fancies.  We  do  not  mean  by  this,  however,  that  Parson 
Amen  was  so  very  wrong  in  bestowing  a  part  of  his  atten 
tion  on  that  wonderful  people,  who,  so  early  set  apart  by 
the  Creator  as  the  creatures  of  his  own  especial  ends,  have 
already  played  so  great  a  part  in  the  history  of  nations, 


244  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

and  who  are  designed,  so  far  as  we  can  penetrate  revela 
tion,  yet  to  enact  their  share  in  the  sublime  drama  of  hu 
man  events. 

As  for  the  council,  its  members  were  moved  by  more 
than  ordinary  curiosity  to  hear  what  further  the  missionary 
might  have  to  say,  though  all  present  succeeded  admira 
bly  in  suppressing  the  exhibition  of  any  interest  that  might 
seem  weak  and  womanly.  After  a  decent  delay,  therefore, 
Bear's  Meat  intimated  to  the  parson  that  it  would  be 
agreeable  to  the  chiefs  present  to  listen  to  him  further. 

"  My  children,  I  have  a  great  tradition  to  tell  you,"  the 
missionary  resumed,  as  soon  as  on  his  feet  again  ;  "  a  very 
great  and  divine  tradition  ;  not  a  tradition  of  man's,  but 
one  that  came  direct  from  the  Manitou  himself.  Peter 
has  spoken  truth  :  there  is  but  one  Great  Spirit ;  he  is  the 
Great  Spirit  of  all  colours,  and  tribes,  and  nations.  He 
made  all  men  of  the  same  clay."  Here  a  slight  sensation 
was  perceptible  among  the  audience,  most  of  whom  were 
very  decidedly  of  a  different  opinion,  on  this  point  of  natu 
ral  history.  But  the  missionary  was  now  so  far  warmed 
with  his  subject  as  to  disregard  any  slight  interruption, 
and  proceeded  as  if  his  listeners  had  betrayed  no  feeling. 
"  Arid  he  divided  them  afterwards  into  nations  and  tribes. 
It  was  then  that  he  caused  the  colour  of  his  creatures  tc 
change.  Some  he  kept  white,  as  he  had  made  them. 
Some  he  put  behind  a  dark  cloud,  and  they  became  alto 
gether  black.  Our  wise  men  think  that  this  was  done  in 
punishment  for  their  sins.  Some  he  painted  red,  like  the 
nations  on  this  continent,"  Here  Peter  raised  a  finger,  in 
sign  that  he  would  ask  a  question  ;  for,  without  permission 
granted,  no  Indian  would  interrupt  the  speaker.  Indeed, 
no  one  of  less  claims  than  Peter  would  hardly  have  pre 
sumed  to  take  the  step  he  now  did,  and  that  because  he 
saw  a  burning  curiosity  gleaming  in  the  bright  eyes  of  so 
many  in  the  dark  circle. 

"  Say  on,  Peter,"  answered  the  missionary  to  this  sign  ; 
"  I  will  reply." 

"  Let  my  brother  say  why  the  Great  Spirit  turned  the 
Indian  to  a  red  colour?  Was  he  angry  with  him  1  or  did 
he  paint  him  so  out  of  love  ?" 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  245 

"  That  is  more  than  I  can  tell  you,  friends.  There  are 
many  colours  among  men,  in  different  parts  of  the  world, 
and  many  shades  among  people  of  the  same  colour.  There 
are  pale-faces  fair  as  the  lily,  and  there  are  pale-faces  so 
dark,  as  scarcely  to  be  distinguished  from  blacks.  The 
sun  does  much  of  this  ;  but  no  sun,  nor  want  of  sun,  will 
ever  make  a  pale-face  a  red-skin,  or  a  red-skin  a  pale-face." 

"  Good — that  is  what  we  Indians  say.  The  Manitou 
has  made  us  different ;  he  did  not  mean  that  we  should 
live  on  the  same  hunting  grounds,"  rejoined  Peter,  who 
rarely  failed  to  improve  every  opportunity  in  order  to  im 
press  on  the  minds  of  his  followers  the  necessity  of  now 
crushing  the  serpent  in  its  shell. 

"  No  man  can  say  that,"  answered  Parson  Amen. — 
44  Unless  my  people  had  come  to  this  continent,  the  word 
of  God  could  not  have  been  preached  by  me,  along  the 
shores  of  these  lakes.  But  I  will  now  speak  of  our  great 
tradition.  The  Great  Spirit  divided  mankind  into  nations 
and  tribes.  When  this  was  done,  he  picked  out  one  for 
his  chosen  people.  The  pale  faces  call  that  favorite,  and 
for  a  long  time  much  favored  people,  Jews.  The  Maniton 
led  them  through  a  wilderness,  and  even  through  a  salt 
lake,  until  they  reached  a  promised  land,  where  he  per 
mitted  them  to  live  for  many  hundred  winters.  A  great 
triumph  was  to  come  out  of  that  people — the  triumphs  of 
truth  and  of  the  law,  over  sin  and  death.  In  the  course 
of  time— " 

Here  a  young  chief  rose,  made  a  sign  of  caution,  and 
crossing  the  circle  rapidly,  disappeared  by  the  passage 
through  which  the  rill  flowed.  In  about  a  minute  he  re 
turned,  showing  the  way  into  the  centre  of  the  council  to 
one  whom  all  present  immediately  recognised  as  a  runner, 
by  his  dress  and  equipments.  Important  news  was  at 
hand  ;  yet  not  a  man  of  all  that  croud  either  rose  or  spoke, 
in  impatience  to  learn  what  it  was  ! 
21  * 


246  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Who  will  believe  that,  with  a  smile  whose  blessing 
Would,  like  the  patriarch's,  soothe  a  dying  hour  j 

With  voice  as  low,  as  gentle,  and  caressing 
As  e'er  won  maiden's  lips  in  moonlit  bower ; 

With  look  like  patient  Job's,  eschewing  evil ; 

With  motions  graceful  as  the  birds  in  air ; 
Thou  art,  in  sober  truth,  the  veriest  devil 

That  e'er  clinched  fingers  in  a  captive's  hair? 

HALLECK'S  Red-Jacket. 

ALTHOUGH  the  arrival  of  the  runner  was  so  totally  un, 
expected,  it  scarcely  disturbed  the  quiet  of  that  grave  as 
sembly.  His  approaching  step  had  been  heard,  and  he  wag 
introduced  in  the  manner  mentioned,  when  the  young  chief 
resumed  his  seat,  leaving  the  messenger  standing  near  the 
centre  of  the  circle,  and  altogether  within  the  influence  of 
the  light.  He  was  an  Ottawa,  and  had  evidently  travelled 
far  and  fast.  At  length  he  spoke ;  no  one  having  put  a 
single  question  to  him,  or  betrayed  the  least  sign  of  impa 
tient  curiosity. 

"  I  come  to  tell  the  chiefs  what  has  happened,"  said  the 
runner.  "  Our  Great  Father  from  Quebec  has  sent  his 
young  men  against  the  Yankees.  Red  warriors,  too,  were 
there  in  hundreds — "  here  a  murmur  of  interest  was  slightly 
apparent  among  the  chiefs  —  "their  path  led  them  to  De 
troit  ;  it  is  taken." 

A  low  murmur,  expressive  of  satisfaction,  passed  round 
the  circle,  for  Detroit  was  then  the  most  important  of  all 
the  posts  held  by  the  Americans,  along  the  whole  line  of 
the  great  lakes.  Eye  met  eye  in  surprise  and  admiration ; 
then  one  of  the  older  chiefs  yielded  to  his  interest  in  the 
subject,  arid  inquired — 

"  Have  our  young  men  taken  many  pale-face  scalps  ?" 

"  So  few  that  they  are  not  worth  counting.  I  did  not 
see  one  pole  that  was  such  as  an  Indian  loves  to  look  on." 


THE    OAK     OPENINGS.  24  / 

"  Did  our  young  men  keep  back,  and  let  the  warriors 
from  Quebec  do  all  the  fighting?" 

"  No  one  fought.  The  Yankees  asked  to  be  made  pri 
soners,  without  using  their  rifles.  Never  before  have  so 
many  captives  been  led  into  the  villages  with  so  little  to 
make  their  enemies  look  on  them  with  friendly  eyes." 

A  gleam  of  fierce  delight  passed  athwart  the  dark  fea 
tures  of  Peter.  It  is  probable  that  he  fell  into  the  same 
error,  on  hearing  these  tidings,  as  that  which  so  generally 
prevailed  for  a  short  time  among  the  natives  of  the  Old  World, 
at  the  commencement  of  both  of  the  two  last  wars  of  the 
republic,  when  the  disasters  with  which  they  opened  induced 
so  many  to  fall  into  the  fatal  error  of  regarding  Jonathan 
as  merely  a  "  shopkeeper."  A  shopkeeper,  in  a  certain 
sense,  he  may  well  be  accounted ;  but  among  his  wares  are 
arms,  that  he  has  the  head,  the  heart,  and  the  hands  to  use, 
as  man  has  very  rarely  been  known  to  use  them  before. 
Even  at  this  very  instant,  the  brilliant  success  which  has 
rendered  the  armed  citizens  of  this  country  the  wonder 
of  Europe,  is  reacting  on  the  masses  of  the  Old  World, 
teaching  them  their  power,  and  inciting  them  to  stand  up 
to  the  regularly  armed  bands  of  their  rulers,  with  a  spirit 
and  confidence  that,  hitherto,  has  been  little  known  in  their 
histories.  Happy,  thrice  happy  will  it  be,  if  the  conquer 
ors  use  their  success  in  moderation,  and  settle  down  into 
the  ways  of  practical  reason,  instead  of  suffering  their 
minds  to  be  led  astray  in  quest  of  the  political  jack  o'  lan 
terns,  that  are  certain  to  conduct  their  followers  into  the 
quagmires  of  impracticable  and  visionary  theories.  To 
abolish  abuses,  to  set  in  motion  the  car  of  state  on  the 
track  of  justice  and  economy,  and  to  distinguish  between 
lhat  which  is  really  essential  to  human  happiness  and  human 
fights,  and  that  which  is  merely  the  result  of  some  wild 
and  bootless  proposition  in  political  economy,  are  the  great 
self-imposed  tasks  that  the  European  people  seem  now  to 
have  assumed ;  and  God  grant  that  they  may  complete  their 
labours  with  the  moderation  and  success  with  which  they 
would  appear  to  have  commenced  them ! 

As  for  Peter,  with  the  curse  of  ignorance  weighing  on 
his  mind,  it  is  to  be  presumed  that  he  fancied  his  own  great 
task  of  destroying  the  whites  was  so  much  the  lighter,  in 


248 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 


consequence  of  the  feeble  defence  of  the  Yankees  at  De 
troit.  The  runner  was  now  questioned  by  the  different 
chiefs  for  details,  which  he  furnished  with  sufficient  intel 
ligence  and  distinctness.  The  whole  of  tint  discreditable 
story  is  too  prominent  in  history,  and  of  too  recent  occur 
rence,  to  stand  in  need  of  repetition  here.  When  the 
mnner  had  told  his  tale,  the  chiefs  broke  the  order  of  their 
circle,  to  converse  the  more  easily  concerning  the  great 
events  which  had  just  occurred.  Some  were  not  backward 
in  letting  their  contempt  for  the  "  Yankees"  be  known. 
Here  were  three  of  their  strong  places  taken,  in  quick 
succession,  and  almost  without  a  blow.  Detroit,  the  strong 
est  of  them  all,  and  defended  by  an  army,  had  fallen  in  a 
way  to  bring  the  blush  to  the  American  face,  seemingly 
leaving  the  whole  of  the  north-western  frontier  of  the 
country  ravished  from  the  red  man,  exposed  to  his  incur 
sions  and  depredations. 

"  What  does  my  father  think  of  this?"  asked  Bear's  Meat 
of  Peter,  as  the  two  stood  apart,  in  a  cluster  of  some  three 
or  four  of  the  principal  personages  present.  "  Does  the 
news  make  his  heart  stronger?" 

"  It  is  always  strong  when  this  business  is  before  it.  The 
M  anitou  has  long  looked  darkly  upon  the  red  men,  but  now 
his  face  brightens.  The  cloud  is  passing  from  before  his 
countenance,  and  we  can  begin  again  to  see  his  smile.  It 
will  be  with  our  sons  as  it  was  with  our  fathers.  Our 
hunting  grounds  will  be  our  own,  and  the  buflfaloe  and 
deer  will  be  plenty  in  our  wigwams.  The  fire-water  will 
flow  after  them  that  brought  it  into  the  country,  and  the 
red  man  will  once  more  be  happy,  as  in  times  past !" 

The  ignuus  fatuus  of  human  happiness  employs  all 
minds,  all  faculties,  all  pens,  and  all  theories,  just  at  this 
particular  moment.  A  thousand  projects  have  been 
broached,  will  continue  to  be  broached,  and  will  fail,  each 
in  its  time,  showing  the  mistakes  of  men,  without  remedy 
ing  the  evils  of  which  they  complain.  This  is  not  because 
a  beneficent  Providence  has  neglected  to  enlighten  their 
minds,  and  to  show  them  the  way  to  be  happy,  here  and 
hereafter ;  but  because  human  conceit  runs,  pari  passut 
with  human  woes,  and  we  are  too  proud  to  look  for  our 
lessons  of  conduct,  in  that  code  in  which  they  have  been 


THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 


249 


set  before  us  by  unerring  wisdom  and  ceaseless  love.  If 
the  political  economists,  and  reformers,  and  revolutionists 
of  the  age,  would  turn  from  their  speculations  to  those 
familiar  precepts  which  all  are  taught  and  so  few  obey, 
they  would  find  rules  for  every  emergency;  and,  most  of 
all,  would  they  learn  the  great  secret  which  lies  so  pro 
foundly  hid  from  them  and  their  philosophy,  in  the  con 
tented  mind.  Nothing  short  of  this  will  ever  bring  the 
mighty  reform  that  the  world  needs.  The  press  may  be 
declared  free,  but  a  very  brief  experience  will  teach  those 
who  fancy  that  this  one  conquest  will  secure  the  victory, 
that  they  have  only  obtained  King  Stork  in  the  lieu  of  King 
Log;  a  vulgar  and  most  hideous  tyrant  for  one  of  royal 
birth  and  gentle  manners.  They  may  set  up  the  rule  of 
patriots  by  profession,  in  place  of  the  dominion  of  those 
who  have  so  long  pretended  that  the  art  of  governing  de 
scends  from  male  to  male,  according  to  the  order  of  primo 
geniture,  and  live  to  wonder  that  love  of  country  should 
have  so  many  weaknesses  in  common  with  love  of  self. 
They  may  rely  on  written  charters  for  their  liberties,  in 
stead  of  the  divine  right  of  kings,  and  come  perchance  to 
learn,  that  neither  language,  nor  covenants,  nor  signatures, 
nor  seals  avail  much,  as  against  the  necessities  of  nations, 
and  the  policy  of  rulers.  Do  we  then  regard  reform  as 
impossible,  and  society  to  be  doomed  to  struggle  on  in  its 
old  sloughs  of  oppression  and  abuses?  Far  from  it.  We 
believe  and  hope,  that  at  each  effort  of  a  sage  character, 
something  is  gained,  while  much  more  than  had  been  ex 
pected  is  lost;  and  such  we  think  will  continue  to  be  the 
course  of  events,  until  men  shall  reach  that  period  in  their 
history  when,  possibly  to  their  wonder,  they  will  find  that 
a  faultless  code  for  the  government  of  all  their  affairs  has 
been  lying  neglected,  daily  and  hourly,  in  their  very  hands, 
for  eighteen  centuries  and  a  half,  without  their  perceiving 
the  all-important  truth.  In  due  season  this  code  will  su 
persede  all  others,  when  the  world  will,  for  the  first  time, 
be  happy  and  truly  free. 

There  was  a  marked  resemblance  between  the  hopes 
and  expectations  of  Peter,  in  reference  to  the  overthrow 
of  his  pale-face  enemies  on  the  American  continent,  and 
those  of  the  revolutionists  of  the  Old  World  in  reference 


250  THE     OAK    OPENINGS. 

to* the  orerthrow  of  their  strongly-entrenched  foes  on  that 
of  Europe.  Each  fancies  success  more  easy  of  attainment 
than  the  end  is  likely  to  show ;  both  overlook  the  terrible 
power  of  their  adversaries ;  and  both  take  the  suggestions 
of  a  hope  that  is  lively  rather  than  enlightened,  as  the  sub 
stitute  for  the  lessons  of  wisdom. 

It  was  some  little  time  ere  the  council  had  so  far  regained 
its  calm,  as  to  think  of  inviting  the  missionary  to  resume 
his  discourse.  The  last  had  necessarily  heard  the  news, 
and  was  so  much  troubled  by  it,  as  to  feel  no  great  dispo 
sition  to  proceed;  but  Peter  intimating  that  "the  ears  of 
his  friends  were  open,"  he  was  of  opinion  it  would  be  wisest 
to  go  on  with  his  traditions. 

"  Thus  it  was,  my  children,"  Parson  Amen  continued, 
the  circle  being  just  as  quiet  and  attentive  as  if  no  inter 
ruption  had  occurred — "  the  Great  Spirit;  selecting  from 
among  the  nations  of  the  earth,  one  to  be  his  chosen  people. 
I  cannot  stop,  now,  to  tell  you  all  he  did  for  this  nation,  in 
the  way  of  wonders  and  power ;  but,  finally,  he  placed  them 
in  a  beautiful  country,  where  milk  and  honey  abounded, 
and  made  them  its  masters.  From  that  people,  in  his 
earthly  character,  came  the  Christ  whom  we  missionaries 
preach  to  you,  and  who  is  the  great  head  of  our  church. 
Although  the  Jews,  or  Israelites,  as  we  call  that  people, 
were  thus  honoured  and  thus  favoured  of  the  Manitou, 
they  were  but  men,  they  had  the  weaknesses  of  men.  On 
more  than  one  occasion  they  displeased  the  Great  Spirit, 
and  that  so  seriously  as  to  draw  down  condign  punishment 
on  themselves,  and  on  their  wives  and  children.  In  various 
ways  were  they  visited  for  their  backslidings  and  sins,  each 
time  repenting  and  receiving  forgiveness.  At  length  the 
Great  Spirit,  tired  of  their  forgetfulness  and  crimes,  allowed 
an  army  to  come  into  their  land,  and  to  carry  away  as  cap 
tives  no  less  than  ten  of  their  twelve  tribes ;  putting  their 
people  in  strange  hunting  grounds.  Now,  this  happened 
many  thousands  of  moons  since,  and  no  one  can  say  with 
certainty  what  has  become  of  those  captives,  whom  Chris 
tians  are  accustomed  to  call  'the  lost  tribes  of  Israel.'" 

Here  the  missionary  paused  to  arrange  his  thoughts,  and 
a  slight  murmur  was  heard  in  the  circle  as  the  chiefs  com 
muned  together,  in  interested  comments  on  what  had  just 


THE     OAK    OPENINGS.  251 

been  said.  The  pause,  however,  was  short,  and  the  speaker 
again  proceeded,  safe  from  any  ungracious  interruption, 
among  auditors  so  trained  in  self-restraint. 

"  Children,  I  shall  not  now  say  anything  touching  the 
birth  of  Christ,  the  redemption  of  the  world,  and  the  his- 
.ory  of  the  two  tribes  that  remained  in  the  land  where  God 
had  placed  his  people ;  for  that  is  a  part  of  the  subject  that 
comes  properly  within  the  scope  of  my  ordinary  teaching. 
At  present  I  wish  only  to  speak  of  yourselves ;  of  the  red 
man  of  America,  of  his  probable  origin  and  end,  and  of 
a  great  discovery  that  many  of  us  think  we  have  made,  on 
this  most  interesting  topic  in  the  history  of  the  good  book. 
Does  any  one  present  know  aught  of  the  ten  lost  tribes  of 
whom  I  have  spoken?" 

Eye  met  eye,  and  expectation  was  lively  among  those 
primitive  and  untaught  savages.  At  length  Crowsfeather 
arose  to  answer,  the  missionary  standing  the  whole  time, 
motionless,  as  if  waiting  for  a  reply. 

"  My  brother  has  told  us  a  tradition,"  said  the  Pottawat- 
tamie.  "  It  is  a  good  tradition.  It  is  a  strange  tradition. 
Red  men  love  to  hear  such  traditions.  It  is  wonderful  that 
so  many  as  ten  tribes  should  be  lost,  at  the  same  time,  and 
no  one  know  what  has  become  of  them  !  My  brother  asks 
us  if  we  know  what  has  become  of  these  ten  tribes.  How 
should  poor  red  men,  who  live  on  their  hunting  grounds, 
and  who  are  busy  when  the  grass  grows  in  getting  together 
food  for  their  squaws  and  pappooses,  against  a  time  when 
the  buffaloe  can  find  nothing  to  eat  in  this  part  of  the  world, 
know  anything  of  a  people  that  they  never  saw?  My  bro 
ther  has  asked  a  question  that  he  only  can  answer.  Let 
him  tell  us  where  these  ten  tribes  are  to  be  found,  if  he 
knows  the  place.  We  should  like  to  go  and  look  at  them." 

"Here!"  exclaimed  the  missionary,  the  instant  Crows- 
feather  ceased  speaking,  and  even  before  he  was  seated. 
"  Here — in  this  Council — on  these  prairies — in  these  Open 
ings — here,  on  the  shores  of  the  great  lakes  of  sweet  water, 
and  throughout  the  land  of  America,  are  these  tribes  to  be 
found.  The  red  man  is  a  Jew ;  a  Jew  is  a  red  man.  The 
Manitou  has  brought  the  scattered  people  of  Israel  to  this 
part  of  the  world,  and  I  see  his  power  in  the  wonderful 
fact.  Nothing  but  a  miracle  could  have  done  this !" 


252  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

Great  was  the  admiration  of  the  Indians  at  this  announce* 
raent !  None  of  their  own  traditions  gave  this  account  of 
their  origin ;  but  there  is  reason  to  believe,  on  the  other 
hand,  that  none  of  them  contradict  it.  Nevertheless,  here 
was  a  medicine-priest  of  the  pale-faces  boldly  proclaiming 
the  fact,  and  great  was  the  wonder  of  all  who  heard, 
thereat !  Having  spoken,  the  missionary  again  paused, 
that  his  words  might  produce  their  effect.  Bear's  Meat 
now  became  his  interrogator,  rising  respectfully,  and  stand 
ing  during  the  colloquy  that  succeeded. 

"  My  brother  has  spoken  a  great  tradition,"  said  the 
Menornenee.  "  Did  he  first  hear  it  from  his  fathers?" 

"  In  part,  only.  The  history  of  the  lost  tribes  has  come 
down  to  us  from  our  fathers ;  it  is  written  in  the  good  book 
of  the  pale-faces ;  the  book  that  contains  the  word  of  the 
Great  Spirit." 

"  Does  the  good  book  of  the  pale-faces  say  that  the  red 
men  are  the  children  of  the  people  he  has  mentioned  ?" 

"  I  cannot  say  that  it  does.  While  the  good  book  tells 
us  so  much,  it  also  leaves  very  much  untold.  It  is  best 
that  we  should  look  for  ourselves,  that  we  may  find  out 
some  of  its  meanings.  It  is  in  thus  looking,  that  many 
Christians  see  the  great  truth  which  makes  the  Indians  of 
America  and  the  Jews  beyond  the  great  salt  lake,  one  and 
the  same  people." 

"  If  this  be  so,  let  my  brother  tell  us  how  far  it  is  frorr> 
our  hunting  grounds  to  that  distant  land  across  the  great 
salt  lake?" 

"  I  cannot  give  you  this  distance  in  miles  exactly ;  but 
I  suppose  it  may  be  eleven  or  twelve  times  the  length  of 
Michigan." 

"  Will  my  brother  tell  us  how  much  of  this  long  path  is 
water,  and  how  much  of  it  is  dry  land  ?" 

"  Perhaps  one-fourth  is  land,  as  the  traveller  may  choose ; 
the  rest  must  be  water,  if  the  journey  be  made  from  the 
rising  towards  the  setting  sun,  which  is  the  shortest  path ; 
but,  let  the  journey  be  made  from  the  setting  towards  the 
rising  sun,  and  there  is  little  water  to  cross :  rivers  and 
lakes  of  no  great  width,  as  is  seen  here,  but  only  a  small 
breadth  of  salt  lake." 

• 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  253 

"Are  there,  then,  two  roads  to  that  far  off  land,  where  the 
red  men  are  thought  to  have  once  lived  ?" 

"  Even  so.  The  traveller  may  come  to  this  spot  from 
that  land  by  way  of  the  rising  sun,  or  by  way  of  the  setting 
sun." 

The  general  movement  among  the  members  of  the 
Council  denoted  the  surprise  with  which  this  account  was 
received.  As  the  Indians,  until  they  have  had  much  inter 
course  with  the  whites,  very  generally  believe  the  earth  to 
be  flat,  it  was  not  easy  for  them  to  comprehend  how  a  given 
point  could  be  reached  by  directly  opposite  routes.  Such 
an  apparent  contradiction  would  be  very  likely  to  extort 
further  questions. 

"  My  brother  is  a  medicine-man  of  the  pale-faces ;  his 
hairs  are  gray,"  observed  Crowsfeather.  "  Some  of  your 
medicine-men  are  good,  and  some  wicked.  It  is  so  with 
the  medicine-men  of  the  red-skins.  Good  and  bad  are  to 
be  found  in  all  nations.  A  medicine-man  of  your  people 
cheated  my  young  men  by  promising  to  show  them  where 
fire-water  grows.  He  did  not  show  them.  He  let  them 
smell,  but  he  did  not  let  them  drink.  That  was  a  wicked 
medicine-man.  His  scalp  would  not  be  safe  did  my  young 
men  see  it  again — "  here  the  bee-hunter,  insensibly  to  him 
self,  felt  for  his  rifle,  making  sure  that  he  had  it  between 
his  legs ;  the  corporal  being  a  little  surprised  at  the  sudden 
start  he  gave.  "  His  hair  does  not  grow  on  his  head  closer 
than  the  trees  grow  to  the  ground.  Even  a  tree  can  be 
cut  down.  But  all  medicine-men  are  not.  alike.  My  bro 
ther  is  a  good  medicine-man.  All  he  says  may  not  be  just 
as  he  thinks,  but  he  believes  what  he  says.  It  is  wonderful 
how  men  can  look  two  ways ;  but  it  is  more  wonderful  that 
they  should  go  to  the  same  place  by  paths  that  lead  before 
and  behind.  This  we  do  not  understand ;  my  brother  will 
tell  us  how  it  can  be." 

"I  believe  I  understand  what  it  is  that  my  children 
would  know.  They  think  the  earth  is  flat,  but  the  pale 
faces  know  that  it  is  round.  He  who  travels  and  travels 
towards  the  setting  sun  would  come  to  this  very  spot,  if  he 
travelled  long  enough.  The  distance  would  be  great,  but 
the  end  of  every  straight  path  in  this  world  is  the  place  of 
starting.5' 

22 


254  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

"  My  brother  says  this.  He  says  many  curious  things., 
I  have  heard  a  medicine-man  of  his  people  say  that  the 
pale-faces  have  seen  their  Great  Spirit,  talked  with  himv 
walked  with  him.  It  is  not  so  with  us  Indians.  Our  Ma- 
nitou  speaks  to  us  in  thunder  only.  We  are  ignorant,  and 
wish  to  learn  more  than  we  now  know.  Has  my  brother 
ever  travelled  on  that  path  which  ends  where  it  begins? 
Once,  on  the  prairies,  I  lost  my  way.  There  was  snow, 
and  glad  was  I  to  find  tracks.  I  followed  them  tracks. 
But  one  traveller  had  passed.  After  walking  an  hour,  two 
had  passed.  Another  hour,  and  three  had  passed.  Then 
I  saw  the  tracks  were  my  own,  and  that  I  had  been  walk 
ing,  as  the  squaws  reason,  round  and  round,  but  not  going 
ahead." 

"  I  understand  my  friend,  but  he  is  wrong.  It  is  no 
matter  which  path  them  lost  tribes  travelled  to  get  here. 
The  main  question  is,  whether  they  came  at  all.  I  see  in 
the  red  men,  in  their  customs,  their  history,  their  looks,  and 
even  in  their  traditions,  proofs  that  they  are  these  Jews, 
once  the  favoured  people  of  the  Great  Spirit." 

"  If  the  Manitou  so  well  loves  the  Indians,  why  has  he 
permitted  the  pale-faces  to  take  away  their  hunting-grounds  ? 
Why  has  he  made  the  red  man  poor,  and  the  white  man 
rich  ?  Brother,  I  am  afraid  your  tradition  is  a  lying  tradi 
tion,  or  these  things  would  not  be  so." 

"  It  is  not  given  to  men  to  understand  the  wisdom  that 
corneth  from  above.  That  which  seemeth  so  strange  to  us 
may  be  right.  The  lost  tribes  had  offended  God ;  and  their 
scattering,  and  captivity,  and  punishment,  are  but  so  many 
proofs  of  his  displeasure.  But,  if  lost,  we  have  reason  to 
believe  that  one  day  they  will  be  found.  Yes,  my  children, 
it  will  be  the  pleasure  of  the  Great  Spirit,  one  day,  to  re 
store  you  to  the  land  of  your  fathers,  and  make  you  again, 
what  you  once  were,  a  great  and  glorious  people !" 

As  the  well-meaning  but  enthusiastic  missionary  spoke 
with  great  fervour,  the  announcement  of  such  an  event, 
coming  as  it  did  from  one  whom  they  respected,  even  while 
they  could  not  understand  him,  did  not  fail  to  produce  a 
deep  sensation.  If  their  fortunes  were  really  the  care  of 
the  Great  Spirit,  and  justice  was  to  be  done  to  them  by  his 
love  and  wisdom,  then  would  the  projects  of  Peter,  and  those 


THE    OAK     OPENINGS.  255 

who  acted  and  felt  with  him,  be  unnecessary,  and  might 
lead  to  evil  instead  of  to  good.  That  sagacious  savage  did 
not  fail  to  discover  this  truth;  and  he  now  believed  it 
might  be  well  for  him  to  say  a  word,  in  order  to  lessen  the 
influence  Parson  Amen  might  otherwise  obtain  among 
those  whom  it  was  his  design  to  mould  in  a  way  entirely 
to  meet  his  own  wishes.  So  intense  was  the  desire  of  this 
mysterious  leader  to  execute  vengeance  on  the  pale-faces, 
that  the  redemption  of  the  tribes  from  misery  and  poverty, 
unaccompanied  by  this  part  of  his  own  project,  would  have 
given  him  pain  in  lieu  of  pleasure.  His  very  soul  had  got 
to  be  absorbed  in  this  one  notion  of  retribution,  and  of 
annihilation  for  the  oppressors  of  his  race;  and  he  re 
garded  all  things  through  a  medium  of  revenge,  thus  created 
by  his  feelings,  much  as  the  missionary  endeavoured  to  bend 
every  fact  and  circumstance,  connected  with  the  Indians, 
to  the  support  of  his  theory  touching  their  Jewish  origin. 

When  Peter  arose,  therefore,  fierce  arid  malignant  pas 
sions  were  at  work  in  his  bosom  ;  such  as  a  merciful  and 
a  benignant  deity  never  wishes  to  see  in  the  breast  of  man, 
whether  civilized  or  savage.  The  self-command  of  the 
Tribeless,  however,  was  great,  and  he  so  far  succeeded  in 
suppressing  the  volcano  that  was  raging  within,  as  to  speak 
with  his  usual  dignity,  and  an  entire  calmness  of  exterior. 

"  My  brothers  have  heard  what  the  medicine-man  had  to 
say,"  Peter  commenced.  "  He  has  told  them  that  which 
was  new  to  them.  He  has  told  them  an  Indian  is  not  an 
Indian.  That  a  red  man  is  a  pale-face,  and  that  we  are 
not  what  we  thought  we  were.  It  is  good  to  learn.  It 
makes  the  difference  between  the  wise  and  the  foolish.  The 
pale-faces  learn  more  than  the  red-skins.  That  is  the  way 
they  have  learned  how  to  get  our  hunting-grounds.  That 
is  the  way  they  have  learned  to  build  their  villages  on  the 
spots  where  our  fathers  killed  the  deer.  That  is  the  way 
they  have  learned  how  to  come  and  tell  us  that  we  are  not 
Indians,  but  Jews.  I  wish  to  learn.  Though  old,  my  mind 
craves  to  know  more.  That  I  may  know  more,  I  will  ask 
this  medicine-man  questions,  and  my  brothers  can  open 
their  ears,  and  learn  a  little,  too,  by  what  he  answers.  Per 
haps  we  shall  believe  that  we  are  not  red-skins,  but  pale 
faces  Perhaps  we  shall  believe  that  our  true  hunting- 


256 


THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 


grounds  are  not  near  the  great  lakes  of  sweet  water,  but 
under  the  rising  sun.  Perhaps  we  shall  wish  to  go  home, 
and  to  leave  these  pleasant  Openings  for  the  pale-faces  to 
put  their  cabins  on  them,  as  the  small-pox  that  they  have 
also  given  to  us,  puts  its  sores  on  our  bodies.  Brother — " 
turning  towards  the  missionary — "  listen.  You  say  we  are 
no  longer  Indians,  but  Jews :  is  this  true  of  all  red  men, 
or  only  of  the  tribes  whose  chiefs  are  here  ?" 

"  Of  all  red  men,  as  I  most  sincerely  believe.  You  are 
now  red,  but  once  all  of  your  people  were  fairer  than  the 
fairest  of  the  pale-faces.  It  is  climate,  and  hardships,  and 
sufferings  that  have  changed  your  colour." 

"  If  suffering  can  do  that"  returned  Peter,  with  em 
phasis,  "  I  wonder  we  are  not  black.  When  all  our  hunt 
ing-grounds  are  covered  with  the  farms  of  your  people,  1 
think  we  shall  be  black." 

Signs  of  powerful  disgust  were  now  visible  among  the 
listeners,  an  Indian  having  much  of  the  contempt  that 
seems  to  weigh  so  heavily  on  that  unfortunate  class,  for  all 
of  the  colour  mentioned.  At  the  South,  as  is  known,  the 
red  man  has  already  made  a  slave  of  the  descendants  of 
the  children  of  Africa,  but  no  man  has  ever  yet  made  a 
slave  of  a  son  of  the  American  forests !  That  is  a  result 
which  no  human  power  has  yet  been  able  to  accomplish. 
Early  in  the  settlement  of  the  country,  attempts  were  in 
deed  made,  by  sending  a  few  individuals  to  the  islands;  but 
so  unsuccessful  did  the  experiment  turn  out  to  be,  that  the 
design  was  soon  abandoned.  Whatever  may  be  his  degra 
dation,  and  poverty,  and  ignorance,  and  savage  ferocity,  it 
would  seem  to  be  the  settled  purpose  of  the  American  In 
dians  of  our  own  territories  —  unlike  the  aborigines  who 
are  to  be  found  further  south — to  live  and  die  a  free  man. 

"  My  children,"  answered  the  missionary,  "  I  pretend 
not  to  say  what  will  happen,  except  as  it  has  been  told  to 
us  in  the  word  of  God.  You  know  that  we  pale-faces  have 
a  book,  in  which  the  Great  Spirit  has  told  us  his  laws,  and 
foretold  to  us  many  of  the  things  that  are  to  happen.  Some 
of  these  things  have  happened,  while  some  remain  to  happen. 
The  loss  of  the  ten  tribes  was  foretold,  and  has  happened; 
but  their  being  found  again,  has  not  yet  happened,  unless 
indeed  I  am  so  blessed  as  to  be  one  of  those  who  have  been 


THE    OAK     OPENINGS.  257 

permitted  to  meet  them  in  these  Openings.  Here  is  the 
book — it  goes  where  I  go,  and  is  my  companion  and  friend, 
by  day  and  by  night;  in  good  and  evil;  in  season  and  out 
of  season.  To  this  book  I  cling  as  to  my  great  anchor, 
that  is  to  carry  me  through  the  storms  in  safety  !  Every 
line  in  it  is  precious ;  every  word  true  !' ' 

Perhaps  half  the  chiefs  present  had  seen  books  before,  while 
those  who  now  laid  eyes  on  one  for  the  first  time,  had  heard 
of  this  art  of  the  pale-faces,  which  enabled  them  to  set 
down  their  traditions  in  a  way  peculiar  to  themselves.  Even 
the  Indians  have  their  records,  however,  though  resorting 
to  the  use  of  natural  signs,  and  a  species  of  hieroglyphics, 
in  lieu  of  the  more  artistical  process  of  using  words  and 
letters,  in  a  systemized  written  language.  The  Bible,  too, 
was  a  book  of  which  all  had  heard,  more  or  less;  though 
not  one  of  those  present  had  ever  been  the  subject  of  its 
influence.  A  Christian  Indian,  indeed — and  a  few  of  those 
were  to  be  found  even  at  that  day — would  hardly  have 
attended  a  council  convened  for  the  objects  which  had 
caused  this  to  be  convened.  Still,  a  strong  but  regulated 
curiosity  existed,  to  see,  and  touch,  and  examine  the  great 
medicine-book  of  the  pale-faces.  There  was  a  good  deal 
of  superstition  blended  with  the  Indian  manner  of  regard 
ing  the  sacred  volume;  some  present  having  their  doubts 
about  touching  it,  even  while  most  excited  by  admiration, 
and  a  desire  to  probe  its  secrets. 

Peter  took  the  little  volume,  which  the  missionary  ex 
tended  as  if  inviting  any  one  who  might  so  please,  to  ex 
amine  it  also.  It  was  the  first  time  the  wary  chief  had 
ever  suffered  that  mysterious  book  to  touch  him.  Among 
his  other  speculations  on  the  subject  of  the  manner  in 
which  the  white  men  were  encroaching,  from  year  to  year, 
on  the  lands  of  the  natives,  it  had  occurred  to  his  mind 
that  this  extraordinary  volume,  which  the  pale-faces  all 
teemed  to  reverence,  even  to  the  drunkards  of  the  garri 
sons,  might  contain  the  great  elements  of  their  power. 
Perhaps  he  was  not  very  much  out  of  the  way  in  this  sup 
position  ;  though  they  who  use  the  volume  habitually,  are 
not  themselves  aware,  one  half  the  time,  why  it  is  so. 

On  the  present  occasion,  Peter  saw  the  great  importance 
of  not  betraying  apprehension,  and  he  turned  over  the 
22* 


258  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

pages  awkwardly,  as  one  would  be  apt  to  handle  a  book 
for  the  first  time,  but  boldly  and  without  hesitation.  En 
couraged  by  the  impunity  that  accompanied  this  hardihood, 
Peter  shook  the  leaves  open,  and  held  the  volume  on  high, 
in  a  way  that  told  his  own  people  that  he  cared  not  for  its 
charms  or  power.  There  was  more  of  seeming  than  of 
truth,  however,  in  this  bravado ;  for  never  before  had  this 
extraordinary  being  made  so  heavy  a  draft  on  his  courage 
and  self-command,  as  in  the  performance  of  this  simple  act. 
He  did  not,  could  not  know  what  were  the  virtues  of  the 
book,  and  his  imagination  very  readily  suggested  the  worst. 
As  the  great  medicine  volume  of  the  pale-faces,  it  was  quite 
likely  to  contain  that  which  was  hostile  to  the  red  men  ; 
and  this  fact,  so  probable  in  his  eyes,  rendered  it  likely  that 
some  serious  evil  to  himself  might  follow  from  the  contact. 
It  did  not,  however  ;  and  a  smile  of  grim  satisfaction  lighted 
his  swarthy  countenance,  as,  turning  to  the  missionary,  he 
said  with  point — 

"  Let  my  brother  open  his  eyes.  I  have  looked  into  his 
medicine-book,  but  do  not  see  that  the  red  man  is  anything 
but  a  red  man.  The  Great  Spirit  made  him;  and  what 
the  Great  Spirit  makes,  lasts.  The  pale-faces  have  made 
their  book,  and  it  lies." 

"No,  no  —  Peter,  Peter,  thou  utterest  wicked  words! 
But  the  Lord  will  pardon  thee,  since  thou  knowest  not 
what  thou  sayest.  Give  me  the  sacred  volume,  that  I  may 
place  it  next  my  heart,  where  I  humbly  trust  so  many  of  its 
divine  precepts  are  already  entrenched." 

This  was  said  in  English,  under  the  impulse  of  feeling, 
but  being  understood  by  Peter,  the  latter  quietly  relinquished 
the  Bible,  preparing  to  follow  up  the  advantage  he  perceived 
he  had  gained,  on  the  spot. 

"  My  brother  has  his  medicine-book,  again,"  said  Peter, 
"  and  the  red  men  live.  This  hand  is  not  withered  like 
the  dead  branch  of  the  hemlock ;  yet  it  has  held  his  word 
of  the  Great  Spirit !  It  may  be  that  a  red-skin  and  a  pale 
face  book  cannot  do  each  other  harm.  I  looked  into  my 
brother's  great  charm,  but  did  not  see  or  hear  a  tradition 
that  tells  me  we  are  Jews.  There  is  a  bee-hunter  in  these 
Openings.  I  have  talked  with  him.  He  has  told  me  who 
these  Jews  aie.  He  says  they  are  a  people  who  do  not  go 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  259 

with  the  pale-faces,  but  live  apart  from  them,  like  men  with 
the  small-pox.  It  is  not  right  for  my  brother  to  come 
among  the  red  men,  and  tell  them  that  their  fathers  were 
not  good  enough  to  live,  and  eat,  and  go  on  the  same  paths 
as  his  fathers." 

"  This  is  all  a  mistake,  Peter — a  great  and  dangerous 
mistake !  The  bee-hunter  has  heard  the  Jews  spoken  of 
by  those  who  do  not  sufficiently  read  the  good  book.  They 
have  been,  and  are  still,  the  chosen  people  of  the  Great 
Spirit,  and  will  one  day  be  received  back  to  his  favour. 
Would  that  I  were  one  of  them,  only  enlightened  by  the 
word*'  of  the  New  Testament !  No  real  Christian  ever 
can,  or  does  now  despise  a  son  of  Israel,  whatever  has 
been  done  in  times  past.  It  is  an  honour,  and  not  a  dis 
grace,  to  be  what  I  have  said  my  friends  are." 

"  If  this  be  so,  why  do  not  the  pale-faces  let  us  keep  our 
hunting-grounds  to  ourselves?  We  are  content.  We  do 
not  wish  to  be  Jews.  Our  canoes  are  too  small  to  cross 
the  great  salt  lake.  They  are  hardly  large  enough  to  cross 
the  great  lakes  of  sweet  water.  We  should  be  tired  of 
paddting  so  far.  My  brother  says  there  is  a  rich  land  under 
the  rising  sun,  which  the  Manitou  gave  to  the  red  men? 
Is  this  so?" 

"  Beyond  all  doubt.  It  was  given  to  the  children  of  Is 
rael,  for  a  possession  for  ever;  and  though  you  have  been 
carried  away  from  it  for  a  time,  there  the  land  still  is,  open 
to  receive  you,  and  waiting  the  return  of  its  ancient  mas 
ters.  In  good  season  that  return  must  come ;  for  we  have 
the  word  of  God  for  it,  in  our  Christian  Bible." 

"  Let  my  brother  open  his  ears  very  wide,  and  hear  what  I 
have  to  say.  We  thank  him  for  letting  us  know  that  we  are 
Jews.  We  believe  that  he  thinks  what  he  says.  Still,  we 
think  we  are  red  men,  and  Injins,  and  not  Jews.  We  never 
saw  the  place  where  the  sun  rises.  We  do  not  wish  to  see  it. 
Our  hunting-grounds  are  nearer  to  the  place  where  he  sets. 
If  the  pale-faces  believe  we  have  a  right  to  that  distant  land, 
which  is  so  rich  in  good  things,  we  will  give  it  to  them, 
and  keep  these  Openings,  and  prairies,  and  woods.  We 
know  the  game  of  this  country,  and  have  found  out  how  to 
kill  it.  We  do  not  know  the  game  under  the  rising  sun, 
which  may  kill  us.  Go  to  your  friends  and  say,  '  The  In- 


260  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

jins  will  give  you  that  land  near  the  rising  sun,  if  you  will 
let  them  alone  on  their  hunting-grounds,  where  they  have 
so  long  been.  They  say  that  your  canoes  are  larger  than 
their  canoes,  and  that  one  can  carry  a  whole  tribe.  They 
have  seen  some  of  your  big  canoes  on  the  great  lakes,  and 
have  measured  them.  Fill  all  you  have  got  with  your 
squaws  arid  pappooses,  put  your  property  in  them,  and  go 
back  by  the  long  path  through  which  you  came.  Then 
will  the  red  man  thank  the  pale-face  and  be  his  friend. 
The  white  man  is  welcome  to  that  far-off  land.  Let  him 
take  it,  and  build  his  villages  on  it,  and  cut  down  its  trees. 
This  is  all  the  Injins  ask.  If  the  pale-faces  can  take.away 
with  them  the  small-pox  and  the  fire-water,  it  will  be  better 
still.  They  brought  both  into  this  country,  it  is  right  that 
they  should  take  them  away.'  Will  my  brother  tell  this  tc 
his  people?" 

"  It  would  do  no  good.  They  know  that  the  land  of 
Judea  is  reserved  by  God  for  his  chosen  people,  and  they 
are  not  Jews.  None  but  the  children  of  Israel  can  restore 
that  land  to  its  ancient  fertility.  It  would  be  useless  for 
any  other  to  attempt  it.  Armies  have  been  there,  and  it 
was  once  thought  that  a  Christian  kingdom  was  set  up  on 
the  spot ;  but  neither  the  time  nor  the  people  had  come. 
Jews  alone  can  make  Judea  what  it  was,  and  what  it  will 
be  again.  If  my  people  owned  that  land,  they  could  not 
use  it.  There  are  also  too  many  of  us  now,  to  go  away  in 
canoes." 

"  Did  not  the  fathers  of  the  pale-faces  come  in  canoes?" 
demanded  Peter,  a  little  sternly. 

"  ^"hey  did ;  but  since  that  time  their  increase  has  been 
so  great,  that  canoes  enough  to  hold  them  could  not  be 
found.  No;  the  Great  Spirit,  for  his  own  wise  ends,  has 
brought  my  people  hither ;  and  here  must  they  remain  to 
the  end  of  time.  It  is  not  easy  to  make  the  pigeons  fly 
south  in  the  spring." 

This  declaration,  quietly  but  distinctly  made,  as  it  was 
the  habit  of  the  missionary  to  speak,  had  its  effect.  It  told 
Peter,  and  those  with  him,  as  plainly  as  language  could  tell 
them,  that  there  was  no  reason  to  expect  the  pale-facea 
would  ever  willingly  abandon  the  country,  and  seemed  the 
more  distinctly,  in  all  their  uninstructed  minds,  to  place 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  261 

the  issue  on  the  armed  hand.  It  is  not  improbable  that 
some  manifestation  of  feeling  would  have  escaped  the  circle, 
had  not  an  interruption  to  the  proceedings  occurred,  which 
put  a  stop  to  all  other  emotions  but  those  peculiar  to  the 
lives  of  savages. 


CHAPTEE  XY111. 

Nearer  the  mount  stood  Moses ;  in  his  hand 

The  rod  which  blasted  with  strange  plagues  the  realm 

Of  Misralm,  and  from  its  time-worn  channels 

Upturned  the  Arabian  Sea.     Fair  was  his  broad 

High  front,  and  forth  from  his  soul-piercing  eye 

Did  legislation  look;  which  full  he  fix'd 

Upon  the  blazing  panoply  undazzled. 

HlLLHOUSE. 

IT  often  happens  in  the  recesses  of  the  wilderness,  that, 
in  the  absence  of  men  the  animals  hunt  each  other.  The 
wolves,  in  particular,  following  their  instincts,  are  often 
seen  in  packs,  pressing  upon  the  heels  of  the  antelope, 
deer,  and  other  creatures  of  that  family,  which  depend  for 
safety  more  on  their  speed  than  on  their  horns.  On  the 
present  occasidn,  a  fine  buck,  with  a  pack  of  fifty  wolves 
close  after  it,  came  bounding  through  the  narrow  gorge 
that  contained  the  rill,  and  entered  the  amphitheatre  of  the 
bottom-land.  Its  headlong  career  was  first  checked  by  the 
sight  of  the  fire ;  then  arose  a  dark  circle  of  men,  each  armed 
and  accustomed  to  the  chase.  In  much  less  time  than  it  has 
taken  to  record  the  fact,  that  little  piece  of  bottom-land 
was  crowded  with  wolves,  deer,  and  men.  The  headlong 
impetuosity  of  the  chase  and  flight  had  prevented  the  scent 
from  acting,  and  all  were  huddled  together,  for  a  single 
instant,  in  a  sort  of  inextricable  confusion.  Brief  as  was 
this  melee,  it  sufficed  to  allow  of  a  young  hunter's  driving 
his  arrow  through  the  heart  of  the  buck,  and  enabled  others 
among  the  Indians  to  kill  several  of  the  wolves;  some  with 
arrows,  others  with  knives,  &.c.  No  rifle  was  used,  pro 
bably  from  a  wish  not  to  give  an  alarm. 


262  THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

The  wolves  were  quite  as  much  astonished  at  this  un 
expected  rencontre,  as  the  Indians.  They  were  not  a  set 
of  hungry  and  formidable  beasts,  that  famine  might  urge 
to  any  pass  of  desperation  ;  but  a  pack  hunting,  like  gentle 
men,  for  their  own  amusement.  Their  headlong  speed  was 
checked  less  by  the  crowd  of  men,  than  by  the  sight  of  fire 
In  their  impetuosity,  it  is  probable  that  they  would  have 
gone  clean  through  five  hundred  men,  but  no  wild  beast 
will  willingly  encounter  fire.  Three  or  four  of  the  chiefs, 
aware  of  this  dread,  seized  brands,  and  throwing  them 
selves,  without  care,  into  the  midst  of  the  pack,  the  ani 
mals  went  howling  off,  scattering  in  all  directions.  Unfor 
tunately  for  its  own  welfare,  one  went  directly  through  the 
circle,  plunged  into  the  thicket  beyond,  and  made  its  way 
quite  up  to  the  fallen  tree,  on  which  the  bee-hunter  and 
the  corporal  had  taken  their  stations.  This  was  altogether 
too  much  for  the  training,  or  for  the  philosophy  of  Hive. 
Perceiving  a  recognized  enemy  rushing  towards  him,  that 
noble  mastiff  met  him  in  a  small  cleared  spot,  open-mouthed, 
and  for  a  few  moments  a  fierce  combat  was  the  consequence. 
Dogs  and  wolves  do  not  fight  in  silence,  and  loud  were  the 
growls  and  yells  on  this  occasion.  In  vain  did  le  Bourdon 
endeavour  to  drag  his  mastiff  off;  the  animal  was  on  the 
high-road  to  victory,  when  it  is  ever  hard  to  arrest  the  steps 
of  the  combatant.  Almost  as  a  matter  of  course,  some  of 
the  chiefs  rushed  towards  the  spot,  when  the  presence  of 
the  two  spectators  first  became  known  to  them.  At  the 
next  moment  the  wolf  lay  dead  at  the  feet  of  Hive;  and 
the  parties  stood  gazing  at  each  other,  equally  taken  by 
surprise,  and  equally  at  a  loss  to  know  what  to  do  next. 

It  was  perhaps  fortunate  for  the  bee-hunter,  that  neither 
Crowsfeather,  nor  any  other  of  the  Pottawattamies,  was 
present  at  this  first  rencontre,  or  he  might  have  fallen  on 
the  spot,  a  victim  to  their  disappointed  hopes  of  drinking 
at  a  Whiskey  spring.  The  chiefs  present  were  strangers 
to  le  Bourdon,  and  they  stared  at  him,  in  a  way  to  show 
that  his  person  was  equally  unknown  to  them.  But  it  was 
necessary,  now,  to  follow  the  Indians  back  to  their  circle, 
where  the  whole  party  soon  collected  again,  the  wolves 
having  gone  off  on  their  several  routes,  to  put  np  some 
other  animal,  and  run  him  to  death. 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  263 

During  the  whole  of  that  excited  and  tumultuous  scene, 
which  would  probably  now  be  termed  a  "  stampede"  in  the 
Mexican-Americo-English  of  the  day,  Peter  had  not  stirred. 
Familiar  with  such  occurrences,  he  felt  the  importance  of 
manifesting  an  unmoved  calm,  as  a  quality  most  likely  to 
impress  the  minds  of  his  companions  with  a  profound  sense 
of  his  dignity  and  self-command.  While  all  around  him 
was  in  a  tumult,  he  stood  in  his  tracks,  motionless  as  a 
statue.  Even  the  fortitude  of  the  worthy  missionary  was 
shaken  by  the  wild  tempest  that  momentarily  prevailed; 
and  the  good  man  forgot  the  Jews  in  his  alarm  at  wolves, 
forgot  the  mighty  past,  in  his  apprehensions  for  the  uncom 
fortable  and  ill-boding  present  time.  All  this,  however, 
was  soon  over,  and  order,  and  quiet,  and  a  dignified  calm 
once  more  reigned  in  the  circle.  Fagots  were  thrown  on 
the  fire ;  and  the  two  captives,  or  spectators,  stood  as  near 
it,  the  observed  of  all  observers,  as  the  heat  rendered 
comfortable.  It  was  just  then  that  Crowsfeather  and  his 
companions  first  recognised  the  magician  of  the  Whiskey 
Spring. 

Peter  saw  the  discovery  of  the  two  spectators  with  some 
uneasiness.  The  time  had  not  come  when  he  intended  to 
strike  his  blow ;  and  he  had  seen  signs  among  those  Potta- 
wattamies,  when  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  which  had  told 
him  how  little  they  were  disposed  to  look  with  favour  on 
one  who  had  so  grievously  trifled  with  their  hopes.  His 
first  care,  therefore,  was  to  interpose  his  authority  and  in 
fluence  between  le  Bourdon  and  any  project  of  revenge, 
which  Crowsfeather's  young  men  might  be  apt  to  devise, 
as  soon  as  they  too  laid  eyes  on  the  offender.  This  was 
done  in  a  characteristic  and  wily  manner. 

"Does  my  brother  love  honey?"  asked  the  tribeless 
chief  of  the  leader  of  the  Pottawattamies  present,  who  sat 
near  him,  gazing  on  le  Bourdon  much  as  the  cat  looks 
upon  the  mouse,  ere  it  makes  it  its  prey.  "Some  Injins 
are  fond  of  that  sweet  food  :  if  my  brother  is  one  of  that 
sort,  I  can  tell  him  how  to  fill  his  wigwam  with  honey  with 
ittle  trouble." 

At  this  suggestion,  coming  from  such  a  source,  Crows- 
feather  could  not  do  less  than  express  his  thanks,  and  hia 
readiness  to  hear  what  further  might  be  in  reserve  for  him. 


264 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 


Peter  then  alluded  to  le  Bourdon's  art,  describing  him  as 
being  the  most  skilful  bee-hunter  of  the  West.  So  great 
was  his  art  in  that  way,  that  no  Indian  had  ever  yet  seen 
his  equal.  It  was  Peter's  intention  to  make  him  exercise 
his  craft  soon,  for  the  benefit  of  the  chiefs  and  warriors 
present,  who  might  then  return  to  their  villages,  carrying 
with  them  stores  of  honey  to  gladden  the  hearts  of  their 
squaws  and  pappooses.  This  artifice  succeeded ;  for  the 
Indians  are  not  expert  in  taking  this  article  of  food,  which 
so  much  abounds  in  the  forests,  both  on  account  of  the 
difficulty  they  find  in  felling  the  trees,  and  on  account  of 
the  "  angle-ing"  part  of  the  process,  which  much  exceeds 
their  skill  in  mathematics.  On  the  other  hand,  the  last  is 
just  the  sort  of  skill  a  common  white  American  would  be 
likely  to  manifest,  his  readiness  and  ingenuity  in  all  such 
processes  almost  amounting  to  an  instinct. 

Having  thus  thrown  his  mantle  around  le  Bourdon  for 
the  moment,  Peter  then  deemed  it  the  better  course,  to 
finish  the  historical  investigation  in  which  the  Council  had 
been  so  much  interested,  when  the  strange  interruption  by 
the  wolves  occurred.  With  this  view,  therefore,  he  rose 
himself,  and  recalled  the  rninds  of  all  present  to  this  inte 
resting  subject,  by  a  short  speech.  This  he  did,  especially 
to  prevent  any  premature  attack  on  the  person  of  le  Bourdon, 

"  Brothers,"  said  this  mysterious  chief,  "  it  is  good  for 
Injins  to  learn.  When  they  learn  a  thing,  they  know  it ; 
then  they  may  learn  another.  It  is  in  this  way  that  the 
pale-faces  do;  it  makes  them  wise,  and  puts  it  in  their 
power  to  take  away  our  hunting-grounds.  A  man  that 
knows  nothing  is  only  a  child  that  has  grown  up  too  fast. 
He  may  be  big  —  may  take  long  steps  —  may  be  strong 
enough  to  carry  burthens — may  love  venison  and  buffaloes' 
humps;  but,  his  size  is  only  in  the  way;  his  steps  he  does 
not  know  where  to  direct;  his  burthens  he  does  not  know 
how  to  choose;  and  he  has  to  beg  food  of  the  squaws,  in 
stead  of  carrying  it  himself  to  their  wigwams.  He  has 
not  learned  how  to  take  game.  We  must  all  learn.  It  is 
right.  When  we  have  learned  how  to  take  game,  and  how 
to  strike  the  enemy,  and  how  to  keep  the  wigwam  filled. 
then  we  may  learn  traditions.  Traditions  tell  us  of  our 
fathers.  We  have  many  traditions.  Some  are  talked  of 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  xJt>5 

even  to  the  squaws.  Some  are  told  around  the  fires  of  the 
tribes.  Some  are  known  only  to  the  aged  chiefs.  This  is 
right,  too.  Injins  ought  not  to  say  too  much,  nor  too  little. 
They  should  say  what  is  wise — what  is  best.  But  my  bro 
ther,  the  medicine-man  of  the  pale-faces,  says  that  our  tra 
ditions  have  not  told  us  everything.  Something  has  been 
kept  back.  If  so,  it  is  best  to  learn  that  too.  If  we  are 
Jews,  and  not  Injins,  we  ought  to  know  it.  If  we  are  In 
jins,  and  not  Jews,  our  brother  ought  to  know  it,  and  not 
call  us  by  a  wrong  name.  Let  him  speak.  We  listen." 

Here  Peter  slowly  resumed  his  seat.  As  the  missionary 
understood  all  that  had  been  said,  he  next  arose,  and  pro 
ceeded  to  make  good,  as  far  as  he  was  able,  and  in  such 
language  as  his  knowledge  of  Indian  habits  suggested,  his 
theory  of  the  lost  tribes. 

"  I  wish  my  children  to  understand,"  resumed  the  mis 
sionary,  "  that  it  is  an  honour  to  be  a  Jew.  I  have  not 
come. here  to  lessen  the  red  men  in  their  own  eyes,  but  to 
do  them  honour :  1  see  that  Bear's  Meat  wishes  to  say 
something;  my  ears  are  open,  and  my  tongue  is  still." 

"  I  thank  my  brother  for  the  opportunity  to  say  what  is 
on  my  mind,"  returned  the  chief  mentioned.  "  It  is  true, 
I  have  something  to  say ;  it  is  this  :  I  wish  to  ask  the  me 
dicine-man  if  the  pale-faces  honour  and  show  respect  to 
Jews?" 

This  was  rather  an  awkward  question  for  the  missionary, 
but  he  was  much  too  honest  to  dissemble.  With  a  reve 
rence  for  truth  that  proceeded  from  his  reverence  for  the 
Father  of  all  that  is  true,  he  replied  honestly,  though  not 
altogether  without  betraying  how  much  he  regretted  the 
necessity  of  answering  at  all.  Both  remained  standing 
while  the  dialogue  proceeded ;  or,  in  parliamentary  lan 
guage,  each  may  be  said  to  have  had  the  floor  at  the  same 
time. 

"  My  brother  wishes  to  know  if  the  pale-faces  honour 
the  Jews,"  returned  the  missionary.  "  I  wish  I  could  an 
swer  '  yes ;'  but  the  truth  forces  me  to  say  '  no.'  The  pale 
faces  have  traditions  that  make  against  the  Jews,  and  the 
judgments  of  God  weigh  heavy  on  the  Children  of  Israel 
But  all  good  Christians,  now,  look  with  friendly  eyes  on 
this  dispersed  and  persecuted  people,  and  wish  them  well. 
23 


266  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

It  will  give  the  white  men  very  great  pleasure  to  learn  that 
T  have  found  the  lost  tribes  of  Isrtel  in  the  red  men  of 
America." 

"  Will  my  brother  tell  us  why  this  will  give  his  people 
pleasure?  Is  it  because  they  will  be  glad  to  find  old  ene 
mies,  poor,  living  on  narrow  hunting-grounds,  off  which 
the  villages  and  farms  of  the  pale-faces  begin  to  push  them 
still  nearer  to  the  setting  sun  ;  and  towards  whom  the  small 
pox  has  found  a  path  to  go,  but  none  to  come  from  ?" 

"  Nay,  nay,  Bear's  Meat,  think  not  so  unkindly  of  us  of 
the  white  race !  In  crossing  the  great  salt  lake,  and  in 
coming  to  this  quarter  of  the  world,  our  fathers  were  led 
by  the  finger  of  God.  We  do  but  obey  the  will  of  the 
Great  Spirit,  in  pressing  forward  into  this  wilderness, 
directed  by  his  wisdom  how  to  spread  the  knowledge  of  his 
name  among  those  who,  as  yet,  have  never  heard  it ;  or, 
having  heard,  have  not  regarded  it.  In  all  this,  the  wisest 
men  are  but  babes ;  not  being  able  to  say  whither  they  are 
to  go,  or  what  is  to  be  done." 

"  This  is  strange,"  returned  the  unmoved  Indian.  "  It 
is  not  so  with  the  red  men.  Our  squaws  and  pappooses  do 
know  the  hunting-ground  of  one  tribe  from  the  hunting- 
ground  of  another.  When  they  put  their  feet  on  strange 
hunting-grounds,  it  is  be-cause  they  intended  to  go  there, 
and  to  steal  game.  This  is  sometimes  right.  If  it  is  right 
to  take  the  scalp  of  an  enemy,  it  is  right  to  get  his  deer 
and  his  buffaloe,  too.  But  we  never  do  this  without  know 
ing  it.  If  we  did,  we  should  be  unfit  to  go  at  large,  unfit 
to  sit  in  council.  This  is  the  first  time  I  have  heard  that 
the  pale-faces  are  so  weak,  and  they  have  such  feeble  minds, 
too,  that  they  do  not  know  where  they  go." 

"  My  brother  does  not  understand  me.  No  man  can  see 
into  the  future — no  man  can  say  what  will  happen  to-mor 
row.  The  Great  Spirit  only  can  tell.  It  is  for  him  then,  to 
guide  his  children  in  their  wanderings.  When  our  fathers 
first  came  out  of  their  canoes  upon  the  land,  on  this  side 
of  the  great  salt  lake,  not  one  among  them  knew  anything 
of  this  country  between  the  great  lakes  of  sweet  water. 
They  did  not  know  that  red  men  lived  here.  The  Great 
Spirit  did  know,  and  intended  then,  that  I  should  this  night 
titand  up  in  this  council,  and  speak  of  his  power  and  of  hia 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  267 

name,  and  do  him  reverence.  It  was  the  Great  Spirit  that 
put  it  into  my  mind  to  come  among  the  Indians ;  and  it  is 
the  Great  Spirit  who  has  led  me,  step  by  step,  as  warriors 
move  towards  the  graves  of  their  fathers,  to  make  the  dis 
covery,  that  the  Indians  are,  in  truth,  the  Children  of  Israel, 
a  part  of  his  own  chosen  and  once  much  favoured  people. 
Let  me  ask  my  friends  one  or  two  questions.  Do  not  your 
traditions  say  that  your  fathers  once  came  from  a  far-off 
land?" 

Bear's  Meat  now  took  his  seat,  not  choosing  to  answer 
a  question  of  this  nature,  in  the  presence  of  a  chief  so  much 
respected  as  Peter.  He  preferred  to  let  the  last  take  up 
the  dialogue  where  he  now  saw  fit  to  abandon  it.  As  the 
other  very  well  understood  the  reason  of  this  sudden  move 
ment,  he  quietly  assumed  the  office  of  spokesman ;  the 
whole  affair  proceeding  much  as  if  there  had  been  no 
change. 

"  Our  traditions  do  tell  us  that  our  fathers  came  from  a 
far-off  land,"  answered  Peter,  without  rising. 

"I  thought  so! — I  thought  so!"  exclaimed  the  simple- 
minded  and  confiding  missionary.  "  How  wonderful  are 
the  ways  of  God  !  Yes,  my  brothers,  Judea  is  a  far-off  land, 
and  your  traditions  say  that  your  fathers  came  from  such  a 
distance!  This,  then,  is  something  proved.  Do  not  your 
traditions  say,  that  once  your  tribes  were  more  in  favour 
with  the  Great  Spirit  than  they  are  now?" 

"  Our  traditions  do  say  this  :  Once  our  tribes  did  not  see 
the  face  of  the  Manitou  looking  dark  upon  them,  as  it  now 
does.  That  was  before  the  pale-faces  came  in  their  big 
canoes,  across  the  great  salt  lake,  to  drive  the  Indians  from 
their  hunting-grounds.  It  was  when  the  small-pox  had  not 
found  the  path  to  their  villages.  When  fire-water  was  un 
known  to  them,  and  no  Indian  had  ever  burned  his  throat 
with  it." 

"  Oh,  but  I  speak  of  a  time  much  more  distant  than  that. 
Of  a  time  when  your  prophets  stood  face  to  face  with  God, 
and  talked  with  the  Creator.  Since  that  day  a  great  change 
has  come  over  your  people.  Then  your  colour  was  light, 
like  that  of  the  fairest  and  handsomest  of  the  Circassian 
race;  now,  it  has  become  red.  When  even  the  colour  is 
changed,  it  is  not  wonderfu1  that  men  should  no  longer  be 


268 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 


the  same  in  other  particulars.  Yes;  once  all  the  races  of 
men  were  of  the  same  colour  and  origin." 

"  This  is  not  what  our  traditions  say.  We  have  heard 
from  our  fathers  that  the  Great  Spirit  made  men  of  differ 
ent  colours;  some  he  made  light,  like  the  pale-faces;  some 
red,  like  the  Injins;  some  black,  like  the  pale-faces'  slaves. 
To  some  he  gave  high  noses ;  to  some  low  noses ;  to  some 
flat  noses.  To  the  pale-faces  he  gave  eyes  of  many  co 
lours.  This  is  the  reason  why  they  see  so  many  things,  and 
in  so  many  different  ways.  To  the  red  men  he  gave  eyes 
of  the  same  colour,  and  they  always  see  things  of  the  same 
colour.  To  a  red  man  there  is  no  change.  Our  fathers 
have  always  been  red.  This  we  know.  If  them  Jews,  of 
whom  my  brother  speaks,  were  ever  white,  they  have  not 
been  our  fathers.  We  tell  this  to  the  medicine-man,  that 
he  may  know  it,  too.  We  do  not  wish  to  lead  him  on  a 
crooked  path,  or  to  speak  to  him  with  a  forked  tongue. 
What  we  have  said,  is  so.  Now,  the  road  is  open  to  the 
wigwam  of  the  pale-faces,  and  we  wish  them  safe  on  their 
journey  home.  We  Injins  have  a  council  to  hold  around 
this  fire,  and  will  stay  longer." 

At  this  plain  intimation  that  their  presence  was  no  longer 
desirable,  it  became  necessary  for  them  to  depart  The  mis 
sionary,  filled  with  zeal,  was  reluctant  to  go:  for,  in  his 
eyes,  the  present  communications  with  the  savages  pro 
mised  him  not  only  the  conversion  of  pagans,  but  the  res 
toration  of  the  Jews !  Nevertheless,  he  was  compelled  to 
comply  ;  and  when  le  Bourdon  and  the  corporal  took  their 
departure,  he  turned,  and  pronounced  in  a  solemn  tone  the 
Christian  benediction  on  the  assembly.  The  meaning  of 
this  last  impressive  office  was  understood  by  most  of  the 
chiefs,  and  they  rose  as  one  man,  in  acknowledgment. 

The  three  white  men,  on  retiring  from  the  circle,  held 
their  way  towards  Castle  Meal.  Hive  followed  his  master, 
having  come  out  of  the  combat  but  little  injured.  As  they 
got  to  a  point,  where  a  last  look  could  be  had  of  the  bot 
tom-land  of  the  council,  each  turned  to  see  what  was  now 
in  the  course  of  proceeding.  The  fire  glimmered  just 
enough  to  show  the  circle  of  dark  faces,  but  not  an  Indian 
spoke  or  moved.  There  they  all  sat,  patiently  waiting  for 
the  moment  when  the  "  strangers"  might  "  withdraw"  to  a 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS 


269 


sufficient  distance,  to  permit  them  to  proceed  with  their 
own  private  affairs  without  fear  of  interruption. 

"  This  has  been  to  me  a  most  trying  scene,"  observed 
the  missionary,  as  the  three  pursued  their  way  towards  the 
1  garrison.'  "  How  hard  it  is  to  convince  men  against  their 
wishes !  *  Now,  I  am  as  certain  as  a  man  can  be,  that  every 
one  of  these  Injins  is  in  fact  a  Jew ;  and  yet,  you  have  seen 
how  small  has  been  my  success  in  persuading  them  to  be 
of  the  right  way  of  thinking,  on  this  subject." 

"  I  have  always  noticed  that  men  stick  even  to  their  de 
fects,  when  they're  nat'ral,"  returned  the  bee-hunter. — 
"  Even  a  nigger  will  stand  up  for  his  colour,  and  why 
shouldn't  an  Injin.  You  began  wrong,  parson.  Had  you 
just  told  these  chiefs  that  they  were  Jews,  they  might  have 
stood  that,  poor  creatures,  for  they  hardly  know  how  man 
kind  looks  upon  a  Jew  ;  but  you  went  to  work  to  skin  them, 
in  a  lump,  making  so  many  poor,  wishy-washy  pale-faces 
of  all  the  red-skins,  in  a  body.  You  and  1  may  fancy  a 
white  face  better  than  one  of  any  other  colour^  but  nature 
colours  the  eye  when  it  colours  the  body,  and  there's  not 
a  nigger  in  America  who  doesn't  think  black  the  pink  of 
beauty." 

"  Perhaps  it  was  proceeding  too  fast  to  say  anything 
about  the  change  of  colour,  Bourdon.  But  what  can  a 
Christian  minister  do,  unless  he  tell  the  truth?  Adam 
could  have  been  but  of  one  colour ;  and  all  the  races  on 
earth,  one  excepted,  musi  have  changed  from  that  one 
colour." 

"Ay,  and  my  life  on  it,  that  all  the  races  on  'arth  be 
lieve  that  one  colour  to  have  been  just  that  which  has  fallen 
to  the  luck  of  each  partic'lar  shade.  Hang  me  if  I  should 
like  to  be  persuaded  out  of  my  colour,  any  more  than  these 
Injins.  In  America,  colour  goes  for  a  great  deal ;  and  it 
may  count  for  as  much  with  an  Injin  as  among  us  whites. 
No,  no,  parson ;  you  should  have  begun  with  persuading 
these  savages  into  the  notion  that  they  're  Jews ;  if  you 
could  get  along  with  that,  the  rest  might  be  all  the  easier." 

"  You  speak  of  the  Jews,  not  as  if  you  considered  them 
a  chosen  people  of  the  Lord,  but  as  a  despised  and  hateful 
race.  This  is  not  right,  Bourdon.  I  know  that  Christians 
23  * 


270 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 


are  thus  apt  to  regard  them ;  but  it  does  not  tell  well  for 
their  charity  or  their  knowledge. 

"  I  know  very  little  about  them,  Parson  Amen  ;  not  being 
certain  of  ever  having  seen  a  Jew  in  my  life.  Still,  I  will 
own  that  I  have  a  sort  of  grudge  against  them,  though  I 
can  hardly  tell  you  why.  Of  one  thing  I  feel  certain- 
no  man  breathing  should  ever  persuade  me  into  the  notion 
that  I'm  a.  Jew,  lost  or  found ;  ten  tribes  or  twenty.  What 
say  you,  corporal,  to  this  idee?" 

"  Just  as  you  say,  Bourdon.  Jews,  Turks,  and  Infidels, 
I  despise:  so  was  I  brought  up,  and  so  I  shall  remain." 

"  Can  either  of  you  tell  me  why  you  look,  m  this  un 
charitable  light,  on  so  many  of  your  fellow-creatures?  It 
cannot  be  Christianity,  for  such  is  not  its  teachings  or  feel 
ings.  Nor  is  either  of  you  very  remarkable  for  his  observ 
ance  of  the  laws  of  God,  as  they  have  been  revealed  to 
Christian  people.  My  heart  yearns  towards  these  Injins, 
who  are  Infidels,  instead  of  entertaining  any  of  the  feelings 
that  the  corporal  has  just  expressed." 

"  I  wish  there  were  fewer  of  them,  and  that  them  few 
were  farther  from  Castle  Meal,"  put  in  le  Bourdon,  with 
point.  "  I  have  known  all  along  that  Peter  meant  to  have 
a  great  council ;  but  will  own,  now  that  I  have  seen  some 
thing  of  it,  I  do  not  find  it  quite  as  much  to  my  mind  as  I 
had  expected  it  would  be." 

"  There 's  a  strong  force  on  'em,"  said  the  corporal,  "  and 
a  hard  set  be  they  to  look  at.  When  a  man's  a  young 
soldier,  all  this  paint,  and  shaving  of  heads,  and  rings  in 
noses  and  ears,  makes  some  impression ;  but  a  campaign  or 
two  ag'in  the  fellows  soon  brings  all  down  to  one  colour 
and  one  uniform,  if  their  naked  hides  can  be  so  called.  I 
told  'era  off,  Bourdon,  and  reconn'itred  'em  pretty  well, 
while  they  was  a  making  speeches;  and,  in  my  judgment, 
we  can  hold  good  the  garrison  ag'in''em  all,  if  so  be  we 
do  not  run  short  of  water.  Provisions  and  water  is  what 
a  body  may  call  fundamentals,  in  a  siege." 

"  I  hope  we  shall  have  no  need  of  force — nay,  I  feel  per 
suaded  there  will  not  be,"  said  Parson  Amen.  "  Peter  is 
our  friend,  and  his  command  over  these  savages  is  wonder 
ful  !  Never  before,  have  I  seen  red  men  so  completely 
under  the  control  of  a  chief.  Your  men  at  Fort  Dearborn, 


T  H  V     OAK     OP  i;  N  I  N  G  S  .  27  I 

corporal,  were  scarcely  more  under  the  orders  of  their  offi 
cers,  than  these  red-skins  are  under  the  orders  of  this  chief  I" 

"  I  will  not  go  to  compare  rig'lars  with  Injins,  Mr. 
Parson,"  answered, the  corporal,  a  little  stiffly.  "They  be 
not  of  the  same  natur'  at  all,  and  ought  not  to  be  put  on  a 
footing,  in  any  partic'lar.  These  savages  may  obey  their 
orders,  after  a  fashion  of  their  own ;  but  I  should  like  to 
see  them  manoeuvre  under  fire.  I've  fit  Injins  fourteen 
times,  in  my  day,  and  have  never  seen  a  decent  line,  or  a 
good,  honest,  manly,  stand-up  charge,  made  by  the  best 
among  'em,  in  any  field,  far  or  near.  Trees  and  covers  is 
necessary  to  their  constitutions,  just  as  sartain  as  a  deer 
chased  will  take  to  water  to  throw  off  the  scent.  Put  'em 
up  with  the  baggonet,  and  they'll  not  stand  a  minute." 

"  How  should  they,  corporal,"  interrupted  le  Bourdon, 
laughing,  "  when  they  've  no  baggonets  of  their  own  to 
make  a  stand  with  ?  You  put  one  in  mind  of  what  my 
father  used  to  say.  He  was  a  soldier  in  revolution  times, 
and  sarved  his  seven  years  with  Washington.  The  Eng 
lish  used  to  boast  that  the  Americans  wouldn't  'stand  up 
to  the  rack,'  if  the  baggonet  was  set  to  work  ;  '  but  this  was 
before  we  got  our  own  tooth-picks,'  said  the  old  man.  'As 
soon  as  they  gave  us  baggonets,  too,  there  was  no  want  of 
standing  up  to  the  work.'  It  seems  to  me,  corporal,  you 
overlook  the  fact  that  Injins  carry  no  baggonets." 

"  Every  army  uses  its  own  weapons.  If  an  Injin  prefers 
his  knife  and  his  tomahawk  to  a  baggonet,,  it  is  no  affair 
of  mine.  I  speak  of  a  charge  as  I  see  it ;  and  the  soldier 
who  relies  on  a  tomahawk  instead  of  a  baggonet,  should 
stand  in  his  tracks,  and  give  tomahawk  play.  No,  no, 
Bourdon,  seeing  is  believing.  These  red-skins  can  do 
nothing  with  our  people,  when  our  people  is  properly  regi 
mented,  well  officered,  and  thoroughly  drilled.  They're 
skeary  to  new  beginners — that  I  must  acknowledge  —  but 
beyond  that  I  set  them  down  as  nothing  remarkable  as 
military  men." 

"  Good  or  bad,  I  wish  there  were  fewer  of  them,  and 
that  they  were  farther  off.  This  man  Peter  is  a  mystery 
to  me;  sometimes  he  seems  quite  friendly;  then,  ag'in,  he 
appears  just  ready  to  take  all  our  scalps.  Do  you  know 
much  of  his  past  history,  Mr.  Amen?" 


272  THE     OAK     0  i»  J :  fl  I  N  G  S  . 

"  Not  as  much  as  1  wish  1  did,"  the  missionary  replied 
"  No  one  can  tell  me  aught  concerning  Peter,  beyond  the 
fact  of  his  being  a  sort  of  a  prophet,  and  a  chief  of  com 
manding  influence.  Even  his  tribe  is  .-uiiknown  ;  a  circum 
stance  that  points  us  to  the  ancient  history  of  the  Jews  for 
the  explanation.  It  is  my  own  opinion  that  Peter  is  of  the 
race  of  Aaron,  and  that  he  is  designed  by  Divine  Provi 
dence  to  play  an  important  part  in  the  great  events  on 
which  we  touch.  All  that  is  wanting  is,  to  persuade  him 
into  this  belief,  himself.  Once  persuade  a  man  that  he  is 
intended  to  be  something,  and  your  work  is  half  done  to 
your  hands.  But  the  world  is  so  full  of  ill-digested  and 
random  theories,  that  truth  has  as  much  as  it  can  do  to 
obtain  a  sober  and  patient  hearing !" 

Thus  is  it  with  poor  human  nature.  Let  a  man  get  a 
crotchet  into  his  head,  however  improbable  it  may  be, 
however  little  supported  by  reason  or  fact,  however  ridi 
culous,  indeed ;  and  he  becomes  indisposed  to  receive  any 
evidence  but  that  which  favours  his  theory;  to  see  any 
truths  but  such  as  he  fancies  will  harmonize  with  his 
truths ;  or  to  allow  of  any  disturbing  causes  in  the  great 
workings  of  his  particular  philosophy.  This  notion  of 
Parson  Amen's  concerning  the  origin  of  the  North  Ame 
rican  savage,  did  not  originate  with  that  simple-minded 
enthusiast,  by  any  means.  In  this  way  are  notions  formed 
and  nurtured.  The  missionary  had  read  somewhat  con 
cerning  the  probability  that  the  American  Indians  were 
the  lost  tribes  of  Israel ;  and,  possessed  with  the  idea, 
everything  he  saw  was  tortured  into  evidence  in  support  of 
his  theory.  There  is  just  as  much  reason  for  supposing 
that  any,  and  all,  of  the  heathen  savages  that  are  scattered 
up  and  down  the  earth  have  this  origin,  as  to  ascribe  it  to 
our  immediate  tribes ;  but  to  this  truth  the  good  parson 
was  indifferent,  simply  because  it  did  not  come  within  the 
circle  of  his  particular  belief. 

Thus,  too,  was  it  with  the  corporal.  Unless  courage, 
and  other  military  qualities,  were  manifested  precisely  in 
the  way  in  which  he  had  been  trained,  they  were  not  cou 
rage  and  military  qualities,  at  all.  Every  virtue  has  its 
especial  and  conventional  accessories,  according  to  this 
school  of  morals ;  nothing  of  the  sort  remaining  as  it  came 


T  II  K     OAK     O  P  K  N  INGS.  273 

from  above,  in  the  simple  abstract  qualities  of  right  and 
wrong.  On  such  feelings  and  principles  as  these,  do  men 
get  to  be  dogmatical,  narrow-minded,  and  conceited  ! 

Our  three  white  men  pursued  their  way  back  to  the 
" garrison,"  conversing  as  they  went,  much  in  the  man 
ner  they  did  in  the  dialogue  we  have  just  recorded. 
Neither  Parson  Amen  nor  tl;  corporal  seemed  to  appre 
hend  anything,  notwithstanding  ihe  extraordinary  scene  in 
which  one  had  been  an  actor,  and  of  which  the  other  had 
been  a  witness.  Their  wonder  and  apprehensions,  no 
doubt,  were  much  mitigated  by  the  fact,  that  it  was  under 
stood  Peter  was  to  meet  a  large  collection  of  the  chiefs  in 
the  Openings,  and  the  minds  of  all  were,  more  or  less, 
prepared  to  see  some  such  assemblage  as  had  that  night 
got  together.  The  free  manner  in  which  the  mysterious 
chief  led  the  missionary  to  the  circle,  was,  of  itself,  some 
proof  that  he  did  not  desire  concealment;  and  even  le 
Bourdon  admitted,  when  they  came  to  discuss  the  details, 
that  this  was  a  circumstance  that  told  materially  in  favour 
of  the  friendliness  of  his  intentions.  Still,  the  bee-hunter 
had  his  doubts;  and  most  sincerely  did  he  wish  that  all  in 
Castle  Meal,  Blossom  in  particular,  were  safe  within  the 
limits  of  civilized  settlements. 

On  reaching  the  "  garrison,"  all  was  safe.  Whiskey 
Centre  watched  the  gate,  a  sober  man,  now,  perforce,  if 
not  by  inclination ;  for  being  in  the  Openings,  in  this  re 
spect,  is  like  being  at  sea  with  an  empty  spirit-room.  He 
was  aware  that  several  had  passed  out,  but  was  surprised 
to  learn  that  Peter  was  of  the  number.  That  gate  Peter 
had  not  passed,  of  a  certainty ;  and  how  else  he  could  quit 
the  palisades  was  not  easily  understood.  It  was  possible 
to  climb  over  them,  it  is  true;  but  the  feat  would  be  at 
tended  with  so  great  an  exertion,  and  would  be  so  likely 
to  lead  to  a  noise  which  would  expose  the  effort,  that  all 
had  great  difficulty  in  believing  a  man  so  dignified  and 
reserved  in  manner  as  this  mysterious  chief,  would  be  apt 
So  resort  to  such  means  of  quitting  the  place. 

As  for  the  Chippewa,  Gershom  reported  his  return  a  few 
minutes  before ;  and  the  bee-hunter  entered,  to  look  for 
that  tried  friend,  as  soon  as  he  learned  the  fact.  He  found 


274  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

Pigeonswing  laying  aside  his  accoutrements,  previously  to 
lying  down  to  take  his  rest. 

"  So,  Chippewa,  you  have  come  back,  have  you !"  ex 
claimed  le  Bourdon.  "  So  many  of  your  red-skin  brethren 
are  about,  that  I  didn't  expect  to  see  you  again,,  for  these 
two  or  three  days." 

"  No  want  to  eat  den,  eh?  How  you  all  eat,  if  hunter 
don't  do  he  duty?  S'pose  squaw  don't  cook  vittles,  you  no 
like  it,  eh  ?  Juss  so  wid  hunter — no  kill  vittles,  don't  like 
it  nudder." 

"  This  is  true  enough.  Still,  so  many  of  your  people 
are  about,  just  now,  that  I  thought  it  probable  you  might 
wish  to  remain  outside  with  them  for  a  day  or  two." 

"How  know  red  man  about,  eh?  You  see  him  —  you 
count  him,  eh  ?" 

"  I  have  seen  something  like  fifty,  and  may  say  I  counted 
that  many.  They  were  all  chiefs,  however,  and  I  take  it 
for  granted,  a  goodly  number  of  common  warriors  are  not 
far  off.  Am  I  right,  Pigeonswing?" 

"S'pose  don't  know  —  den,  can't  tell.  Only  tell  what 
he  know." 

"  Sometimes  an  Injin  guesses,  and  comes  as  near  the 
truth  as  a  white  man  who  has  seen  the  thing  with  his  own 
eyes." 

Pigeonswing  made  no  answer ;  though  le  Bourdon  fan 
cied,  from  his  manner,  that  he  had  really  something  on  his 
mind,  and  that,  too,  of  importance,  which  he  wished  to 
communicate." 

"  I  think  you  might  tell  me  some  news  that  I  should  like 
to  hear,  Chippewa,  if  you  was  so  minded." 

"  Why  you  stay  here,  eh?"  demanded  the  Indian,  ab 
ruptly.  "  Got  plenty  honey — bess  go  home,  now.  Always 
bess  go  home,  when  hunt  up.  Home  good  place,  when 
hunter  well  tired." 

"  My  home  is  here,  in  the  Openings,  Pigeonswing.  When 
I  go  into  the  settlements,  I  do  little  but  loaf  about  among 
the  farm-houses  on  the  Detroit  river,  having  neither  squaw 
nor  wigwam  of  my  own  to  go  to.  I  like  this  place  well 
enough,  if  your  red  brethren  will  let  me  keep  it  in  peace." 

"  Dis  bad  place  for  pale-face,  juss  now.  Better  go 
home,  dan  stay  in  Openin  .  If  don't  know  short  path  to 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  275 

Detroit,  I  show  you.  Bess  go,  soon  as  can ;  and  bess  go 
alone.  No  good  to  be  trouble  wid  squaw,  when  in  hurry." 

The  countenance  of  le  Bourdon  changed  at  this  last  in 
timation  ;  though  the  Indian  might  not  have  observed  it  in 
the  darkness.  After  a  brief  pause,  the  first  answered  in  a 
very  determined  way. 

"'  I  believe  I  understand  you,  Chippewa,"  he  said.  "  I 
shall  do  nothing  of  the  sort,  however.  If  the  squaws  can't 
go,  too,  I  shall  not  quit  them.  Would  you  desert  your 
squaws  because  you  thought  them  in  trouble?" 

"  An't  your  squaw  yet.  Bess  not  have  squaw,  at  all,  when 
Openin'  so  full  of  Injin.  Where  you  t'ink  is  two  buck  I 
shoot  dis  mornin',  eh?  Skin  'em,  cut  'em  up,  hang  'em 
on  tree,  where  wolf  can't  get  'em.  Well,  go  on  arter 
anudder;  kill  him,  too.  Dere  he  is,  inside  of  palisade,  but 
no  tudder  two.  He  bot'  gone,  when  I  get  back  to  tree. 
Two  good  buck  as  ever  see!  How  you  like  dat,  eh?" 

"  I  care  very  little  about  it,  since  we  have  food  enough, 
and  are  not  likely  to  want.  So  the  wolves  got  your  venison 
from  the  trees,  after  all  your  care ;  ha !  Pigeonswing." 

"  Wolf  don't  touch  him — wolf  can't  touch  him.  Moc 
casin  been  under  tree.  See  him  mark.  Bess  do  as  I  tell 
you  ;  go  home,  soon  as  ever  can.  Short  path  to  Detroit ; 
an't  two  hundred  pale-face  mile." 

"  I  see  how  it  is,  Pigeonswing ;  I  see  how  it  is,  and 
thank  you  for  this  hint,  while  I  honour  your  good  faith  to 
your  own  people.  But  I  cannot  go  to  Detroit,  in  the  first 
place,  for  that  town  and  fort  have  fallen  into  the  hands  of 
the  British.  It  might  be  possible  for  a  canoe  to  get  past 
in  the  night,  and  to  work  its  way  through  into  Lake  Erie; 
hut  I  cannot  quit  my  friends.  If  you  can  put  us  all  in  the 
way  of  getting  away  from  this  spot,  I  shall  be  ready  to  enter 
into  the  scheme.  Why  can't  we  all  get  into  the  canoe,  and 
go  dowr  atream,  as  soon  as  another  night  sets  in?  Before 
morning  we  could  be  twenty  miles  on  our  road." 

"  No  do  any  good,"  returned  Pigeonswing,  coldly.  "  If 
can't  go  alone,  can't  go  at  all.  Squaw  no  keep  up,  when 
so  many  be  on  trail.  No  good  to  try  canoe.  Catch  you 
in  two  day — p'raps  one.  Well,  I  go  to  sleep  —  can't  keep 
eye  open  all  night." 

Hereupon,  Pigeonswing  coolly  repaired  to  his  skins,  lay 


276  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

down,  and  was  soon  fast  asleep.  The  bee-huntei  was  fain 
to  do  the  same,  the  night  being  now  far  advanced ;  but  he 
lay  awake  a  long  time,  thinking  of  the  hint  he  had  received, 
and  pondering  on  the  nature  of  the  danger  which  menaced 
the  security  of  the  family.  At  length,  sleep  asserted  us 
power  over  even  him,  and  the  place  lay  in  the  deep  stillness 
of  night. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

And  stretching  out,  on  either  hand, 
O'er  ail  that  wide  and  unshorn  land, 
Till  weary  of  its  gorgeousness, 
The  aching  and  the  dazzled  eye 
Rests,  gladden'd,  on  the  calm,  blue  sky. 

WHITTIBB. 

No  other  disturbance  occurred  in  the  course  of  the  night. 
With  the  dawn,  Je  Bourdon  was  again  stirring;  and  as  he 
left  the  palisades  to  repair  to  the  run,  in  order  to  make  his 
ablutions,  he  saw  Peter  returning  to  Castle  Meal.  The 
two  met;  but  no  allusion  was  made  to  the  manner  in  which 
the  night  had  passed.  The  chief  paid  his  salutations  cour 
teously;  and,  instead  of  repairing  to  his  skins,  he  joined  le 
Bourdon,  seemingly  as  little  inclined  to  seek  for  rest,  as  if 
just  arisen  from  his  lair.  When  the  bee-hunter  left  the 
spring,  this  mysterious  Indian,  for  the  first  time,  spoke  of 
business. 

"  My  brother  wanted  to-day  to  show  Injin  how  to  find 
honey,"  said  Peter,  as  he  and  Bourdon  walked  towards  the 
palisades,  within  which  the  whole  family  was  now  moving. 
"  I  nebber  see  honey  find,  myself,  ole  as  I  be." 

"  I  shall  be  very  willing  to  teach  your  chiefs  my  craft," 
answered  the  bee-hunter,  "  and  this  so  much  the  more 
readily,  because  I  do  not  expect  to  pracfyse  it  much  longer, 
myself;  not  in  this  part  of  the  country,  at  least." 

"  How  dat  happen  ? — expec'  go  away  soon  ?"  demanded 
Peter,  whose  keen,  restless  eye  would,  at  one  instant,  seem 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  277 

to  read  his  companion's  soul,  and  then  would  glance  off  to 
some  distant  object,  as  if  conscious  of  its  own  startling 
and  fiery  expression.  "  Now  Brish  got  Detroit,  where  my 
broder  go?  Bess  stay  here,  I  t'ink." 

"  I  shall  not  be  in  a  hurry,  Peter ;  but  my  season  will 
soon  be  up,  and  I  must  get  ahead  of  the  bad  weather, 
you  know,  or  a  bark  canoe  will  have  but  a  poor  time  of 
it  on  Lake  Huron.  When  am  I  to  meet  the  chiefs,  to  give 
them  a  lesson  in  finding  bees  ?" 

"  Tell  by-'em-by.  No  hurry  for  dat.  Want  to  sleep 
fuss.  See  so  much  better,  when  I  open  eye.  So  you  t'ink 
of  makin'  journey  on  long  path.  If  can't  go  to  Detroit, 
where  can  go  to?" 

"  My  proper  home  is  in  Pennsylvany,  on  the  other  side 
of  Lake  Erie.  It  is  a  long  path,  and  I  'm  not  certain  of 
getting  safely  over  it  in  these  troubled  times.  Perhaps  it 
would  be  best  for  me,  however,  to  shape  at  once  for  Ohio; 
if  in  that  state  I  might  find  my  way  round  the  end  of  Erie, 
and  so  go  the  whole  distance  by  land." 

The  bee-hunter  said  this,  by  way  of  throwing  dust  into 
the  Indian's  eyes,  for  he  had  not  the  least  intention  of  tra 
velling  in  the  direction  named.  It  is  true,  it  was  his  most 
direct  course,  and  the  one  that  prudence  would  point  out 
to  him,  under  all  the  circumstances,  had  he  been  alone. 
But  le  Bourdon  was  no  longer  alone,  in  heart  and  feelings, 
at  least.  Margery  now  mingled  wkh  all  his  views  for  the 
future;  and  he  could  no  more  think  of  abandoning  her  in 
her  present  situation,  than  he  could  of  offering  his  own 
person  to  the  savages  for  a  sacrifice.  It  was  idle  to  think 
of  attempting  such  a  journey  in  company  with  the  females, 
and  most  of  all  to  attempt  it  in  defiance  of  the  ingenuity, 
perseverance,  and  hostility  of  the  Indians.  The  trail  could 
not  be  concealed ;  and,  as  for  speed,  a  party  of  the  young 
men  of  the  wilderness  would  certainly  travel  two  miles  to 
Margery's  one. 

Le  Bourdon,  notwithstanding  Pigeonswing's  remon 
strances,  still  had  his  eye  on  the  Kalamazoo.  He  remem 
bered  the  saying,  "  That  water  leaves  no  trail,"  and  was 
not  without  hopes  of  reaching  the  lake  again,  where  he 
felt  he  should  be  in  comparative  security ;  his  own  canoe, 
as  well  as  that  of  Gershom,  being  large,  well  fitted,  and  not 
24 


278  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

altogether  unsuited  to  those  waters,  in  the  summer  months. 
As  it  would  be  of  the  last  importance,  however,  to  get  se 
veral  hours'  start  of  the  Indians,  in  the  event  of  his  having 
recourse  to  such  a  mode  of  flight,  it  was  of  the  utmost 
importance  also  to  conceal  his  intentions,  and,  if  possible,  to 
induce  Peter  to  imagine  his  eyes  were  turned  in  another 
direction. 

"  Well,  s'pose  go  dat  way,"  answered  the  chief,  quietly, 
as  if  suspecting  no  artifice.  "  Set  'bout  him  by-'em-by. 
To-day  muss  teach  Injin  how  to  find  honey.  Dat  make 
him  good  friend ;  and  maybe  he  help  my  pale-face  broders 
back  to  deir  country.  Been  better  for  ebberybody,  if  none 
come  here,  at  all." 

Thus  ended  the  discourse  for  that  moment.  Peter  was 
not  fond  of  much  talking,  when  he  had  not  his  great  object 
in  view,  but  rather  kept  his  mind  occupied  in  observation. 
For  the  next  hour,  every  one  in  and  about  Castle  Meal  was 
engaged  in  the  usual  morning  avocations,  that  of  breaking 
their  fasts  included ;  and  then  it  was  understood  that  all 
were  to  go  forth  to  meet  the  chiefs,  that  le  Bourdon  might 
give  a  specimen  of  his  craft. 

One,  ignorant  of  the  state  of  political  affairs  on  the 
American  continent,  and  who  was  not  aware  of  the  vicinity 
of  savages,  would  have  seen  nothing  that  morning,  as  the 
party  proceeded  on  its  little  excursion,  in  and  around  that 
remote  spot,  but  a  picture  of  rural  tranquillity  and  peace. 
A  brighter  day  never  poured  its  glories  on  the  face  of  the 
earth ;  and  the  openings,  and  the  glades,  and  even  the  dark 
and  denser  forests,  were  all  bathed  in  the  sun-light,  as  that 
orb  is  known  to  illuminate  objects  in  the  softer  season  of 
the  year,  and  in  ftie  forty-third  degree  of  latitude.  Even 
the  birds  appeared  to  rejoice  in  the  beauties  of  the  time, 
and  sang  and  fluttered  among  the  oaks,  in  numbers  greater 
than  common.  Nature  usually  observes  a  stern  fitness  in 
her  adaptation  of  means  to  entis.  Birds  are  to  be  found 
in  the  forests,  on  the  prairies,  and  in  the  still  untenanted 
openings  of  the  west  —  and  often  in  countless  numbers  f 
more  especially  those  birds  which  fly  in  flocks,  and  love  the 
security  of  unoccupied  regions  —  unoccupied  by  man  is 
meant — wherein  to  build  their  nests,  obey  the  laws  of  their 
instincts,  and  fulfil  their  destinies.  Thus,  myriads  of 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  279 

pigeons,  and  ducks,  and  geese,  &c.,  are  to  be  found  in  the 
virgin  woods,  while  the  companionable  and  friendly  robin, 
the  little  melodious  wren,  the  thrush,  the  lark,  the  swallow, 
the  marten,  and  all  those  pleasant  little  winged  creatures, 
that  flit  about  our  dwellings  and  grounds,  and  seem  to  be 
sent  by  Providence,  expressly  to  chant  their  morning  and 
evening  hymns  to  God  in  our  ears,  most  frequent  the  peo 
pled  districts.  It  has  been  said  by  Europeans  that  the 
American  birds  are  mute,  in  comparison  with  those  of  the 
Old  World.  This  is  true,  to  a  certain  extent,  as  respects 
those  which  are  properly  called  forest  birds,  which  do,  in 
general,  appear  to  partake  of  the  sombre  character  that 
marks  the  solemn  stillness  of  their  native  haunts.  It  is  not 
true,  however,  with  the  birds  which  live  in  our  fields,  and 
grounds,  and  orchards,  each  of  which  sings  its  song  of 
praise,  and  repeats  its  calls  and  its  notes,  as  richly  and  as 
pleasantly  to  the  ear,  as  the  birds  of  other  lands-  One  large 
class,  indeed,  possesses  a  faculty  that  enables  it  to  repeat 
every  note  it  has  ever  heard,  even  to  some  of  the  sounds  of 
quadrupeds.  Nor  is  this  done  in  the  discordant  tones  of 
the  parrot;  but  in  octaves,  and  trills,  and  in  rich,  contra- 
altos,  and  all  the  other  pleasing  intonations  known  to  the 
most  gifted  of  the  feathered  race.  Thus  it  is,  that  one 
American  mocking-bird  can  outsing  all  the  birds  of  Europe 
united. 

It  seemed  that  morning  as  if  every  bird  that  was  accus 
tomed  to  glean  its  food  from  the  neighbourhood  of  Castle 
Meal,  was  on  the  wing,  and  ready  to  accompany  the  party 
that  now  sallied  forth  to  catch  the  bee.  This  party  con 
sisted  of  le  Bourdon,  himself,  as  its  chief  and  leader;  of 
Peter,  the  missionary,  and  the  corporal.  Margery,  too, 
went  along ;  for,  as  yet,  she  had  never  seen  an  exhibition 
of  Boden's  peculiar  skill.  As  for  Gershom  and  his  wife, 
they  remained  behind,  to  make  ready  the  noon-tide  meal ; 
while  the  Chippewa  took  his  accoutrements,  and  again  sal 
lied  out  on  a  hunt.  The  whole  time  of  this  Indian  appeared 
to  be  thus  taken  up ;  though,  in  truth,  venison  and  bear's 
meat  both  abounded,  and  there  was  much  less  necessity  for 
those  constant  efforts  than  he  wished  to  make  it  appear. 
In  good  sooth,  more  than  half  his  time  was  spent  in  making 
those  observations,  which  had  led  to  the  advice  he  had 


280  THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

been  urging  on  his  friend,  the  bee-hunter,  in  order  to  induce 
him  to  fly.  Had  Pigeonswing  better  understood  Peter,  and 
had  he  possessed  a  clearer  insight  into  the  extent  and  mag 
nitude  of  his  plans  of  retributive  vengeance,  it  is  not  pro 
bable  his  uneasiness,  at  the  moment,  would  have  been  so 
great,  or  the  urgency  for  an  immediate  decision  on  the  part 
of  le  Bourdon,  would  have  appeared  as  urgently  press- 
ing  as  it  now  seemed  to  be. 

The  bee-hunter  took  his  way  to  a  spot  that  was  at  some, 
distance  from  his  habitation,  a  small  prairie  of  circular 
form,  that  is  now  generally  known  in  that  region  of  the 
country,  by  the  name  of  Prairie  Round.  Three  hours  were 
necessary  to  reach  it,  and  this  so  much  the  more,  because 
Margery's  shorter  steps  were  to  be  considered.  Margery, 
however,  was  no  laggard  on  a  path.  Young,  active,  light 
of  foot,  and  trained  in  exertions  of  this  nature,  her  pre 
sence  did  not  probably  retard  the  arrival  many  minutes. 

The  extraordinary  part  of  the  proceedings  was  the  cir 
cumstance,  that  the  bee-hunter  did  not  tell  any  one  whither 
he  was  going,  and  that  Peter  did  not  appear  to  care  about 
putting  the  question  to  him.  Notwithstanding  this  reserve 
on  one  side,  and  seeming  indifference  on  the  other,  whew 
the  party  reached  Prairie  Round,  every  one  of  the  chiefs 
who  had  been  present  at  the  council  of  the  previous  night, 
was  there  before  it.  The  Indians  were  straggling  about, 
but  remained  sufficiently  near  the  point  where  the  bee- 
hunter  and  his  followers  reached  the  prairie,  to  assemble 
around  the  group  in  a  very  few  minutes  after  it  made  its 
appearance.  All  this  struck  le  Bourdon  as  fearfully  sin 
gular,  since  it  proved  how  many  secret  means  of  commu 
nication  existed  between  these  savages.  That  the  inmates  of 
rhe  habitations  were  closely  observed,  and  all  their  proceed 
ings  noted,  he  could  not  but  suspect,  even  before  receiving 
this  proof  of  Peter's  power ;  b:U  he  was  not  aware  until 
now,  how  completely  he  and  all  with  him  were  at  the  mercy 
of  these  formidable  foes.  What  hope  could  there  be  for 
escape,  when  hundreds  of  eyes  were  thus  watching  their 
movements,  and  every  thicket  had  its  vigilant  and  saga 
cious  sentinel?  Yet,  must  flight  be  attempted,  in  some 
way  or  other,  or  Margery  and  her  sister  would  be  hopelessly 
lost  •  to  say  nothing  of  himself  and  the  three  other  men. 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  281 

But  the  appearance  of  the  remarkable  little  prairie  that 
he  had  just  reached,  and  the  collection  of  chiefs,  now  oc 
cupied  all  the  present  thoughts  of  le  Bourdon.  As  for  the 
first,  it  is  held  in  repute,  even  at  the  present  hour,  as  a 
place  that  the  traveller  should  see,  though  covered  with 
farms,  and  the  buildings  that  belong  to  husbandry.  It  is 
still  visited  as  a  picture  of  ancient  civilization,  placed  in 
the  setting  of  a  new  country.  It  is  true  that  very  little  of 
this  part  of  Michigan  wears  much,  if  any,  of  that  aspect 
of  a  rough  beginning,  including  stubs,  stumps,  and  circled 
trees,  that  it  has  so  often  fallen  to  our  share  to  describe. 
There  are  dense  forests,  and  those  of  considerable  extent; 
and  wherever  the  axe  is  put  into  them,  the  progress  of  im 
provement  is  marked  by  the  same  steps  as  elsewhere ;  but 
the  lovely  Openings  form  so  many  exceptions,  as  almost  to 
compose  the  rule. 

On  Prairie  Round  there  was  even  a  higher  stamp  of 
seeming  civilization — seeming,  since  it  was  nature,  after  all, 
that  had  mainly  drawn  the  picture.  In  the  first  place,  the 
spot  had  been  burnt  so  recently,  as  to  leave  the  entire 
expanse  covered  with  young  grasses  and  flowers,  the  same 
as  if  it  were  a  well-kept  park.  This  feature,  at  that  ad 
vanced  period  of  the  summer,  was  in  some  degree  acci 
dental,  the  burning  of  the  prairies  depending  more  or  less 
on  contingencies  of  that  sort.  We  have  now  less  to  do 
with  the  cause,  than  with  its  consequences.  These  were 
most  agreeable  to  the  eye,  as  well  as  comfortable  to  the 
foot,  the  grass  nowhere  being  of  a  height  to  impede  move 
ment,  or,  what  was  of  still  more  importance  to  le  Bour 
don's  present  pursuit,  to  overshadow  the  flowers.  Aware 
of  this  fact,  he  had  led  his  companions  all  that  distance,  to 
reach  this  scene  of  remarkable  rural  beauty,  in  order  that 
he  might  make  a  grand  display  of  his  art,  in  presence  of 
the  assembled  chiefs  of  that  region.  The  bee-hunter  had 
pride  in  his  craft,  the  same  as  any  other  skilful  workman 
who  had  gained  a  reputation  by  his  cunning,  and  he  now 
trode  the  prairie  with  a  firmer  step,  and  a  more  kindling 
eye,  than  was  his  wont,  in  the  commoner  haunts  of  his  call 
ing.  Men  were  there  whom  it  might  be  an  honour  to  sur 
prise,  and  pretty  Margery  was  there  also,  she  who  had  so 
long  desired  to  see  this  very  exhibition. 
24* 


282  THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

But,  to  revert  once  more  to  the  prairie,  ere  we  commence 
the  narrative  of  what  occurred  on  it !  This  well-known 
area  is  of  no  great  extent,  possessing  a  surface  about  equal 
to  that  of  one  of  the  larger  parks  of  Europe.  Its  name 
was  derived  from  its  form,  which,  without  being  absolutely 
regular,  had  so  near  an  approach  to  a  circle  as  to  justify 
the  use  of  the  appellation.  The  face  of  this  charming 
field  was  neither  waving,  or  what  is  called  "  rolling,"  nor 
a  dead  flat,  as  often  occurs  with  river  bottoms.  It  had  just 
enough  of  undulation  to  prevent  too  much  moisture,  and 
to  impart  an  agreeable  variety  to  its  plain.  As  a  whole,  it 
was  clear  of  the  forest;  quite  as  much  so  as  if  the  axe  had 
done  its  work  there  a  thousand  years  before,  though  wood 
was  not  wanting.  On  the  contrary,  enough  of  the  last  was 
to  be  seen,  in  addition  to  that  which  formed  the  frame  of 
this  charming  landscape,  to  relieve  the  view  from  all  ap 
pearance  of  monotony,  and  to  break  it  up  into  copses, 
thickets,  trees  in  small  clusters,  and  in  most  of  the  varieties 
that  embellish  native  scenery.  One  who  had  been  unex 
pectedly  transferred  to  the  spot,  might  well  have  imagined 
that  he  was  looking  on  the  site  of  some  old  and  long-estab 
lished  settlement,  from  which  every  appliance  of  human 
industry  had  been  suddenly  and  simultaneously  abstracted. 
Of  houses,  out-buildings,  fences,  stacks,  and  husbandry, 
there  were  no  signs;  unless  the  even  and  verdant  sward, 
that  was  spread  like  a  vast  carpet,  sprinkled  with  flowers, 
could  have  been  deemed  a  sign  of  the  last.  There  were 
the  glades,  vistas,  irregular  lawns,  and  woods,  shaped  with 
the  pleasing  outlines  of  the  free  hand  of  nature,  as  if  con 
summate  art  had  been  endeavouring  to  imitate  our  great 
mistress  in  one  of  her  most  graceful  moods. 

The  Indians  present  served  largely  to  embellish  this  scene. 
Of  late  years,  horses  have  become  so  common  among  the 
western  tribes,  the  vast  natural  meadows  of  those  regions 
furnishing  the  means  necessary  to  keep  them,  that  one  can 
now  hardly  form  a  picture  of  those  savages,  without  repre 
senting  them  mounted,  and  wielding  the  spear;  but  such 
was  not  the  fact  with  the  time  of  which  we  are  writing, 
nor  was  it  ever  the  general  practice  to  go  mounted,  among 
the  Indians  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  great  lakes. 
Not  a  hoof  of  any  sort  was  now  visible,  with  the  exception 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  283 

of  those  which  belonged  to  a  herd  of  deer,  that  were  grazing 
on  a  favourite  spot,  less  than  a  league  distant  from  the 
place  where  le  Bourdon  and  his  companions  reached  the 
prairie.  All  the  chiefs  were  on  foot,  and  very  few  were 
equipped  with  more  than  the  knife  and  tomahz.wk,  the  side- 
arms  of  a  chief;  the  rifles  having  been  secreted,  as  it  might 
be,  in  deference  to  the  festivities  and  peaceful  character  of 
the  occasion.  As  le  Bourdon's  party  was  duly  provided 
with  rifles,  the  missionary  and  Margery  excepted,  this  was 
a  sign  that  no  violence  was  contemplated  on  that  occasion 
at  least.  "  Contemplated,"  however,  is  a  word  very  ex 
pressive,  when  used  in  connection  with  the  outbreakings 
of  human  passions,  as  they  are  wont  to  exhibit  themselves 
among  the  ignorant  and  excited.  It  matters  not  whether 
the  scene  be  the  capital  of  some  ancient  European  mo 
narchy,  or  the  wilds  of  America,  the  workings  of  such  im 
pulses  are  much  the  same.  Now,  a  throne  is  overturned, 
perhaps,  before  they  who  do  it  are  yet  fully  aware  of  what 
they  ought  to  set  up  in  its  place;  and  now  the  deadly  rifle, 
or  the  murderous  tomahawk  is  used,  more  in  obedience  to 
the  incentives  of  demons,  than  in  furtherance  of  justly  re 
cognised  rules  of  conduct.  Le  Bourdon  was  aware  of  all 
this,  and  did  not  so  far  confide  in  appearances,  as  to  over 
look  the  watchfulness  that  he  deemed  indispensable. 

The  bee-hunter  was  not  long  in  selecting  a  place  to  set 
up  his  apparatus.  In  this  particular,  he  was  mainly  go 
verned  by  a  lovely  expanse  of  sweet-scented  flowers,  among 
which  bees  in  thousands  were  humming,  sipping  of  their 
precious  gifts  at  will.  Le  Bourdon  had  a  care,  also,  not  to 
go  far  from  the  forests  which  encircled  the  prairies,  for 
among  its  trees  he  knew  he  had  to  seek  the  habitations  of 
the  insects.  Instead  of  a  stump,  or  a  fallen  tree,  he  had 
prepared  a  light  frame-work  of  lath,  which  the  corporal 
bore  to  the  field  for  him,  and  on  which  he  placed  his  dif 
ferent  implements,  as  soon  as  he  had  selected  the  scene  of 
operations. 

It  will  not  be  necessary  for  us  to  repeat  the  process, 
which  has  already  been  described  in  our  opening  chapters  ; 
but  we  shall  only  touch  such  parts  of  it  as  have  a  direct 
connection  with  the  events  of  the  legend.  As  le  Bourdon 
commenced  his  preparations,  however,  the  circle  of  chiefs 


284  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

closed  around  him,  in  mute  but  close  attention  to  every 
thing  that  passed.  Although  every  one  of  them  had  heard 
of  the  bee-hunters  of  the  pale-faces,  and  most  of  them  had 
heard  of  this  particular  individual  of  their  number,  not  an 
Indian  present  had  ever  seen  one  of  these  men  practise  his 
craft.  This  may  seem  strange,  as  respects  those  who  so 
much  roamed  the  woods ;  but  we  have  already  remarked 
that  it  exceeded  the  knowledge  of  the  red  man  to  make  the 
calculations  that  are  necessary  to  take  the  bee  by  the  pro 
cess  described.  Usually,  when  he  obtains  honey,  it  is  the 
result  of  some  chance-meeting  in  the  forest,  and  not  the 
fruits  of  that  far-sighted  and  persevering  industry,  which 
enables  the  white  man  to  lay  in  a  store  large  enough  to 
supply  a  neighbourhood,  in  the  course  of  a  few  weeks' 
hunting. 

Never  was  a  juggler  watched  with  closer  attention,  than 
was  le  Bourdon,  while  setting  up  his  stand,  and  spreading 
his  implements.  Every  grave,  dark  countenance  was 
turned  towards  him,  and  each  keen,  glistening  eye  was 
riveted  on  his  movements.  As  the  vessel  with  the  comb 
was  set  down,  the  chiefs  nearest  recognizing  the  substance, 
murmured  their  admiration;  for  to  them  it  seemed  as  if  the 
operator  were  about  to  make  honey  with  honey.  Then  the 
glass  was  a  subject  of  surprise;  for  half  of  those  present 
had  never  seen  such  an  utensil  before.  Though  many  of 
the  chiefs  present  had  visited  the  "  garrisons"  of  the  north 
west,  both  American  and  English,  many  had  not;  and,  of 
those  who  had,  not  one  in  ten  had  got  any  clear  idea  of  the 
commonest  appliances  of  civilized  life.  Thus  it  was,  then, 
that  almost  every  article  used  by  the  bee-hunter,  though  so 
simple  and  homely,  was  the  subject  of  a  secret,  but  well- 
suppressed  admiration. 

It  was  not  long  ere  le  Bourdon  was  ready  to  look  for  his 
bee.  The  insects  were  numerous  on  the  flowers,  particu 
larly  on  the  white  clover,  which  is  indigenous  in  America, 
springing  up  spontaneously  wherever  grasses  are  permitted 
to  grow.  The  great  abundance  of  the  bees,  however,  had 
its  usual  effect,  and  our  hero  was  a  little  difficult  to  please 
At  length,  a  fine,  and  already  half-loaded  little  animal  was 
covered  by  the  glass,  and  captured.  This  was  done  so  near 
the  group  of  Indians,  that  each  and  all  noted  the  process 


1HE     OAK     OPENINGS.  285 

Tt  was  curious,  and  it  was  inexplicable !  Could  the  pale 
faces  compel  bees  to  reveal  the  secret  of  their  hives,  and 
was  that  encroaching  race  about  to  drive  all  the  insects 
from  the  woods  and  seize  their  honey,  as  they  drove  the 
Indians  before  them  and  seized  their  lands?  Such  was 
the  character  of  the  thoughts  that  passed  through  the  minds 
of  more  than  one  chief,  that  morning,  though  all  looked  on 
in  profound  stillness. 

When  the  imprisoned  bee  was  put  over  the  comb,  and 
le  Bourdon's  cap  was  placed  above  all,  these  simple-minded 
children  of  the  woods  and  the  prairies  gazed,  as  if  expect 
ing  a  hive  to  appear  beneath  the  covering,  whenever  the 
latter  should  be  removed.  It  was  not  long  before  the  bee 
"  settled,"  and  not  only  the  cap,  but  the  tumbler  was  taken 
away.  For  the  first  time  since  the  exhibition  commenced, 
le  Bourdon  spoke,  addressing  himself  to  Peter. 

"If  the  tribeless  chief  will  look  sharply,"  he  said,  "he 
will  soon  see  the  bee  take  flight.  It  is  filling  itself  with 
honey,  and  the  moment  it  is  loaded  —  look — look — it  is 
about  to  rise — there,  it  is  up — see  it  circling  around  the 
stand,  as  if  to  take  a  look  that  it  may  know  it  again — there 
it  goes !" 

There  it  did  go,  of  a  truth,  and  in  a  regular  bee-line,  or 
as  straight  as  an  arrow.  Of  all  that  crowd,  the  bee-hunter 
and  Margery  alone  saw  the  insect  in  its  flight.  Most  of 
those  present  lost  sight  of  it,  while  circling  around  the 
stand;  but  the  instant  it  darted  away,  to  the  remainder  it 
seemed  to  vanish  into  air.  Not  so  with  le  Bourdon  and 
Margery,  however.  The  former  saw  it  from  habit;  the 
latter  from  a  quick  eye,  intense  attention,  and  the  wish  not 
to  miss  anything  that  le  Bourdon  saw  fit  to  do,  for  her  in 
formation  or  amusement.  The  animal  flew  in  an  air-line 
towards  a  point  of  wood  distant  fu-lly  half-a-mile,  and  on 
the  margin  of  the  prairie. 

Many  low  exclamations  arose  among  the  savages.  The 
bee  was  gone,  but  whither  they  knew  not,  or  on  what 
errand.  Could  it  have  been  sent  on  a  message  by  the  pale 
face,  or  had  it  flown  off  to  give  the  alarm  to  its  companions, 
in  order  to  adopt  the  means  of  disappointing  the  bee-hunter? 
As  for  the  last,  he  went  coolly  to  work  to  choose  another 
insect ;  and  he  soon  had  three  at  work  on  the  comb — all  in 


286  THE     OAK     OPENINGS 

company,  and  all  uncovered.  Had  the  number  anything  to 
do  with  the  charm,  or  were  these  three  to  be  sent  to  bring 
back  the  one  that  had  already  gone  away?  Such  was  the 
sort  of  reasoning,  and  such  the  queries  put  to  themselves, 
by  several  of  the  stern  children  of  nature  who  were  drawn 
up  around  the  stand. 

In  the  mean  time  le  Bourdon  proceeded  with  his  opera 
tions  in  the  utmost  simplicity.  He  now  called  Peter  and 
Bear's  Meat  and  Crowsfeather  nearer  to  his  person,  where 
they  might  share  with  Margery  the  advantage  of  more 
closely  seeing  all  that  passed.  As  soon  as  these  three  chiefs 
were  near  enough,  Ben  pointed  to  one  bee  in  particular, 
sayingr  in  the  Indian  dialect — 

"  My  brothers  see  that  bee  in  the  centre — he  is  about  to 
go  away.  If  he  go  after  the  one  that  went  before  him,  I 
shall  soon  know  where  to  look  for  honey." 

"  How  can  my  brother  tell  which  bee  will  first  fly  away  ?" 
demanded  Bear's  Meat. 

The  bee-hunter  was  able  to  foresee  this,  by  knowing 
which  insect  had  been  longest  on  the  comb;  but  so  prac 
tised  had  his  eye  become,  that  he  knew  with  tolerable  ac 
curacy,  by  the  movements  of  the  creatures,  those  that  had 
filled  themselves  with  honey  from  those  that  had  not.  As 
it  did  not  suit  his  purposes,  however,  to  let  all  the  minutiae 
of  his  craft  be  known,  his  answer  was  evasive.  Just  at 
that  moment  a  thought  occurred  to  him,  which  it  might  he 
well  to  carry  out  in  full.  He  had  once  saved  his  life  by 
necromancy,  or  what  seemed  to  the  simple  children  of  the 
woods  to  be  necromancy,  and  why  might  he  not  turn  the 
cunning  of  his  regular  art  to  account,  and  render  it  the 
means  of  rescuing  the  females,  as  well  as  himself,  from  the 
hands  of  their  captors?  This  sudden  impulse  from  that 
moment  controlled  his  conduct;  and  his  mind  was  con 
stantly  casting  about  for  the  means  of  effecting  what  was 
now  his  one  great  purpose — escape.  Instead  of  uttering,  in 
reply  to  Bear's  Meat's  question,  the  simple  truth,  therefore, 
he  rather  sought  for  such  an  answer  as  might  make  the 
process  in  which  he  was  engaged  appear  imposing  and 
mystical. 

"How  do  the  Injins  know  the  path  of  the  deer?"  he 
asked,  by  way  of  reply.  "  They  look  at  the  deer,  get  to 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  287 

know  him,  and  understand  his  ways.    This  middle  bee  will 
BOOH  fly." 

"  Which  way  will  he  go?"  asked  Peter.  "Can  my  bro 
ther  tell  us  that?" 

•'  To  his  hive,"  returned  le  Bourdon,  carelessly,  as  if  he 
did  not  fully  understand  the  question.  "  All  of  them  go 
to  their  hives,  unless  I  tell  them  to  go  in  another  direction. 
See,  the  bee  is  up !" 

The  chiefs  now  looked  with  all  their  eyes.  They  saw, 
indeed,  that  the  bee  was  making  its  circles  above  the  stand. 
Presently  they  lost  sight  of  the  insect,  which  to  them 
seemed  to  vanish ;  though  le  Bourdon  distinctly  traced  its 
flight  for  a  hundred  yards.  It  took  a  direction  at  right 
angles  to  that  of  the  first  bee,  flying  off  into  the  prairie, 
and  shaping  its  course  towards  an  island  of  wood,  which 
might  have  been  of  three  or  four  acres  in  extent,  and  dis» 
tant  rather  less  than  a  mile. 

While  le  Bourdon  was  noting  this  flight,  another  bee 
arose  This  creature  flew  towards  the  point  of  forest,  al 
ready  mentioned  as  the  destination  of  the  insect  that  had 
first  risen.  No  sooner  was  this  third  little  animal  out  of 
sight,  than  the  fourth  was  up,  humming  around  the  stand. 
'.5<:n  pointed  it  out  to  the  chiefs;  and  this  time  they  suc 
ceeded  in  tracing  the  flight  for,  perhaps,  a  hundred  feet 
from  the  spot  where  they  stood.  Instead  of  following  either 
of  its  companions,  this  fourth  bee  took  a  course  which  led 
it  off  the  prairie  altogether,  and  towards  the  habitations. 

The  suddenly-conceived  purpose  of  le  Bourdon,  to  at 
tempt  to  mystify  the  savages,  and  thus  get  a  hold  upon  their 
minds  which  he  might  turn  to  advantage,  was  much  aided 
by  the  different  directions  taken  by  these  several  bees. 
Had  they  all  gone  the  same  way,  the  conclusion  that  all 
went  home  would  be  so  very  natural  and  obvious,  as  to  de 
prive  the  discovery  of  a  hive  of  any  supernatural  merit,  at 
least;  and  to  establish  this  was  just  now  the  great  object 
the  bee-hunter  had  in  view.  As  it  was,  the  Indians  were 
no  wiser,  now  all  the  bees  were  gone,  than  they  had  been 
before  one  of  them  had  flown.  On  the  contrary,  they  could 
not  understand  how  the  flights  of  so  many  insects,  in  so 
many  different  directions,  should  tell  the  bee-hunter  where 
honey  was  to  be  found.  Le  Bourdon  saw  that  the  prairie 


288  THE     OAK     OPENINGS 

was  covered  with  bees,  and  well  knew  that,  such  being  the 
fact,  the  inmates  of  perhaps  a  hundred  different  hives  must 
be  present.  All  this,  however,  was  too  novel  and  too  com 
plicated  for  the  calculations  of  savages;  and  not  one  of 
those  who  crowded  near,  as  observers,  could  account  for 
so  many  of  the  bees  going  different  ways. 

Le  Bourdon  now  intimated  a  wish  to  change  his  ground. 
He  had  noted  two  of  the  bees,  and  the  only  question  that 
remained  to  be  decided,  as  it  respected  them,  was  whether 
they  belonged  to  the  precise  points  towards  which  they  had 
flown,  or  to  points  beyond  them.  The  reader  will  easily 
understand  that  this  is  the  nature  of  the  fact  determined  by 
taking  an  angle,  the  point  of  intersection  between  any  two 
of  the  lines  of  flight,  being  necessarily  the  spot  where  the 
hive  is  to  be  found.  So  far  from  explaining  this  to  those 
around  him,  however,  Boden  kept  it  a  secret  in  his  own 
breast.  Margery  knew  the  whole  process,  for  to  her  he  had 
often  gone  over  it  in  description,  finding  a  pleasure  in  in 
structing  one  so  apt,  and  whose  tender,  liquid  blue  eyes 
seemed  to  reflect  every  movement  of  his  own  soul  and  feel 
ings.  Margery  he  could  have  taught  for  ever,  or  fancied 
for  the  moment  he  could :  which  is  as  near  the  truth  as 
men  under  the  influence  of  love  often  get.  But,  as  for  the 
Indians,  so  far  from  letting  them  into  any  of  his  secrets, 
his  strong  desire  was  now  to  throw  dust  into  their  eyes,  in 
all  possible  ways,  and  to  make  their  well-established  cha 
racter  for  superstition  subservient  to  his  own  projects. 

Boden  was  far  from  being  a  scholar,  even  for  one  in  his 
class  in  life.  Down  to  this  hour,  the  neglect  of  the  means 
of  public  instruction  is  somewhat  of  a  just  ground  of  re 
proach  against  the  venerable  and  respectable  commonwealth 
of  which  he  was  properly  a  member,  though  her  people 
have  escaped  a  knowledge  of  a  great  deal  of  small  philosophy 
and  low  intriguing,  which  it  is  fair  to  presume  that  evil 
spirits  thrust  in  among  the  leaves  of  a  more  legitimate  in 
formation,  when  the  book  of  knowledge  is  opened  for  the 
instruction  of  those  who,  by  circumstances,  are  prevented 
from  doing  more  than  bestowing  a  few  hurried  glances  at 
its  contents.  Still,  Ben  had  read  everything  about  bees, 
un  which  he  could  lay  his  hands.  He  had  studied  their 
habits  personally,  and  he  had  pondered  over  the  various 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  239 

accounts  of  their  communities — a  sort  of  limited  monarchy 
in  which  the  prince  is  deposed  occasionally,  or  when  mat 
ters  go  very  wrong — some  written  by  really  very  observant 
and  intelligent  persons,  and  others  again  not  a  little  fan 
ciful.  Among  other  books  that  had  thus  fallen  in  le  Bour 
don's  way,  was  one  which  somewhat  minutely  described 
the  uses  that  were  made  of  bees  by  the  ancient  soothsayers 
in  their  divinations.  Our  hero  had  no  notion  of  reviving 
those  rites,  or  of  attempting  to  imitate  the  particular  prac 
tices  of  which  he  had  read  and  heard ;  but  the  recollection 
of  them  occurred  most  opportunely  to  strengthen  and  en 
courage  the  design,  so  suddenly  entertained,  of  making  his 
present  operations  aid  in  opening  the  way  to  the  one  great 
thing  of  the  hour — an  escape  into  Lake  Michigan. 

"A  bee  knows  a  great  deal,"  said  le  Bourdon  to  his 
nearest  companions,  while  the  whole  party  was  moving 
some  distance  to  take  up  new  ground.  "  A  bee  often  knows 
more  than  a  man." 

"  More  than  pale-face?"  demanded  Bear's  Meat,  a  chief 
who  had  attained  his  authority  more  by  means  of  physical 
than  of  intellectual  qualities. 

"  Sometimes.  Pale-faces  have  gone  to  bees  to  ask  what 
will  happen.  Let  me  ask  our  medicine-man  this  question. 
Parson  Amen,  have  you  any  knowledge  of  the  soothsayers 
of  old  using  bees  when  they  wished  to  know  what  was 
about  to  happen  ?" 

Now,  the  missionary  was  not  a  learned  man,  any  more 
than  the  bee-hunter ;  but  many  an  unlearned  man  has  heard 
of  this,  and  he  happened  to  be  one  of  the  number.  Of 
Virgil,  for  instance,  Parson  Amen  knew  but  little ;  though 
in  the  progress  of  a  very  loose,  but  industrious  course  of 
reading,  he  had  learned  that  the  soothsayers  put  great  faith 
in  bees.  His  answer  was  given  in  conformity  with  this 
fact,  and  in  the  most  perfect  good  faith,  for  he  had  not  the 
smallest  suspicion  of  what  Boden  wished  to  establish. 

"  Certainly — most  certainly,"  answered  the  well-meaning 
missionary — "  the  fortune-tellers  of  old  times  often  went  to 
their  bees  when  they  wished  to  look  into  the  future.  It 
has  been  a  subject  much  talked  of  among  Christians,  to 
account  for  the  soothsaying,  and  witchcraft,  and  other 
suoernatural  dealings  of  those  who  lived  in  the  times  of 
25 


290  THE  OAK   OPENINGS". 

the  prophets;  and  most  of  them  have  held  the  opinion  thai 
evil  spirits  have  been — nay,  still  are  permitted  to  work  their 
will  on  certain  men  in  the  flesh.  But  bees  were  in  much 
favour  with  the  soothsayers  of  old." 

This  answer  was  given  in  English,  and  little  of  it  was 
comprehended  by  Peter,  and  the  others  who  had  more  or 
less  knowledge  of  that  language,  beyond  the  part  which 
asserted  the  agency  of  bees  in  witchcraft.  Luckily,  this 
was  all  le  Bourdon  desired,  and  he  was  well  satisfied  at 
seeing  that  the  idea  passed  from  one  chief  to  another ; 
those  who  did  not  know  the  English  at  all,  being  told  by 
those  who  had  some  knowledge  of  the  tongue,  that  "  bees 
were  thought  to  be  '  medicine'  among  the  pale-faces." 

Le  Bourdon  gained  a  great  deal  of  ground  by  this  for 
tunate  corroboration  of  his  own  still  more  fortunate  thought. 
Matters  were  pretty  nearly  desperate  with  him,  and  with 
all  his  friends,  should  Peter  really  meditate  evil ;  and  as 
desperate  diseases  notoriously  require  remedies  of  the  same 
character,  he  was  ready  to  attempt  anything  that  promised 
even  the  smallest  chance  of  success. 

"  Yes,  yes — "  the  bee-hunter  pursued  the  discourse  by 
saying  —  "bees  know  a  great  deal.  I  have  sometimes 
thought  that  bees  know  more  than  bears,  and  my  brother 
must  be  able  to  tell  something  of  them?" 

"Yes;  my  name  is  Bear's  Meat,"  answered  that  chief, 
complacently.  "  Injin  always  give  name  that  mean  some- 
t'ing.  Kill  so  many  bear  one  winter,  got  dat  name." 

"  A  good  name  it  is  !  To  kill  a  bear  is  the  most  honour 
able  thing  a  hunter  can  do,  as  we  all  know.  If  my  brother 
wishes  to  hear  it,  I  will  ask  my  bees  when  he  is  to  kill 
another." 

The  savage  to  whom  this  was  addressed  fairly  started 
with  delight.  He  was  eagerly  signifying  his  cheerful  as 
sent  to  the  proposal,  when  Peter  quietly  interposed,  and 
changed  the  discourse  to  himself,  in  a  way  that  he  had, 
and  which  would  not  easily  admit  of  denial.  It  was  ap 
parent  to  le  Bourdon  that  this  mysterious  Indian  was  not 
content  that  one  so  direct  and  impetuous  in  his  feelings  as 
Bear's  Meat,  and  who  was  at  the  same  time  so  little  quali 
fied  to  manage  his  portion  of  an  intellectual  conversation, 
Bhould  be  foremost  any  longer.  For  that  reason  he  brought 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  291 

himself  more  into  the  fore-ground,  leaving  to  his  friend  the 
capacity  of  listener  and  observer,  rather  than  that  of  a 
speaker  and  actor.  What  took  place  under  this  new 
arrangement,  will  appear  as  the  narrative  proceeds. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Therefore,  go  with  me  ; 

I  'II  give  the  fairies  to  attend  on  thee  ; 

And  they  shall  fetch  thee  jewels  from  the  deep, 

— Peas-blossom  !•  cobweb  !  moth!  and  mustard-seed! 

Midsummer- Night' s  Dream. 

As  le  Bourdon  kept  moving  across  the  prairie,  while  the 
remarks  were  made  that  have  been  recorded  in  the  preced 
ing  chapter,  he  soon  reached  the  new  position  where  he 
intended  to  again  set  up  his  stand.  Here  he  renewed  his 
operations ;  Peter  keeping  nearest  his  person,  in  jealous 
watchfulness  of  the  least  movement  he  made.  Bees  were 
caught,  and  scarce  a  minute  elapsed  ere  the  bee-hunter  had 
two  of  them  on  the  piece  of  comb,  uncovered  and  at 
liberty.  The  circumstance  that  the  cap  was  momentarily 
placed  over  the  insects,  struck  the  savages  as  a  piece  of 
necromancy,  in  particular.  The  reader  will  understand 
that  this  is  done  in  order  to  darken  the  tumbler,  and  induce 
the  bee  to  settle  down  on  the  honey  so  much  the  sooner. 
To  one  who  understood  the  operation  and  its  reason,  the 
whole  was  simple  enough ;  but  it  was  a  very  different 
matter  with  men  as  little  accustomed  to  prying  into  the 
habits  of  creatures  as  insignificant  as  bees.  Had  deer,  or 
bisons,  or  benrs,  or  any  of  the  quadrupeds  of  those  regions, 
been  the  subject  of  the  experiment,  it  is  highly  probable 
that  individuals  could  have  been  found  in  that  attentive  and 
wondering  crowd,  who  could  have  enlightened  the  ablest 
naturalists  on  the  subject  of  the  animals  under  examina 
tion  ;  but,  when  the  inquiry  descended  to  the  bee,  it  went 
beiow  the  wants  and  usages  of  savage  life. 


292 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 


"Where  you  t'ink  dis  bee  go?"  demanded  Peter,  in 
English,  as  soon  as  le  Bourdon  raised  the  tumbler. 

"  One  will  go  in  this  direction,  the  other  in  that,"  an 
swered  the  bee-hunter,  pointing  first  towards  the  corner  of 
the  woods,  then  towards  the  island  in  the  prairie ;  the  two 
points  towards  which  two  of  the  other  bees  had  flown. 

The  predictions  might  or  might  not  prove  true.  If  they 
did,  the  effect  must  be  great;  if  they  did  not,  the  failure 
would  soon  be  forgotten  in  matters  of  more  interest.  Our 
hero,  therefore,  risked  but  little,  while  he  had  the  chance 
of  gaining  a  very  great  advantage.  By  a  fortunate  coin 
cidence,  the  result  completely  justified  the  prediction.  A 
bee  rose,  made  its  circles  around  the  stand,  and  away  it 
went  towards  the  island-like  copse  in  the  prairie;  while  its 
companion  soon  imitated  its  example,  *but  taking  the  other 
prescribed  direction.  This  time  Peter  watched  the  insects 
so  closely  that  he  was  a  witness  of  their  movements,  and 
with  his  own  eyes  he  beheld  the  flight,  as  well  as  the  direc 
tion  taken  by  each. 

"  You  tell  bee  do  dis?"  demanded  Peter,  with  a  surprise 
that  was  so  sudden,  as  well  as  so  great,  that  it  overcame 
in  some  slight  degree  his  habitual  self-command. 

"To  be  sure  I  did,"  replied  le  Bourdon,  carelessly.  "If 
you  wish  to  see  another,  you  may." 

Here  the  young  man  coolly  took  another  bee,  and  put  it 
on  the  comb.  Indifferent  as  he  appeared,  however,  he 
used  what  was  perhaps  the  highest  degree  of  his  art  m  se 
lecting  this  insect.  It  was  taken  from  the  bunch  of  flowers 
whence  one  of  his  former  captives  had  been  taken,  and 
there  was  every  chance  of  its  belonging  to  the  same  hive 
as  its  companion.  Which  direction  it  might  take,  should 
it  prove  to  be  a  bee  from  either  of  the  two  hives  of  which 
the  positions  were  now  known,  it  altogether  exceede-d 
Boden's  art  to  tell,  so  he  dexterously  avoided  committing 
himself.  It  was  enough  that  Peter  gazed  attentively,  and 
that  he  saw  the  insect  dart  away,  disappearing  in  the  direc 
tion  of  the  island.  By  this  time  more  of  the  savages  were 
on  the  alert,  and  now  knowing  how  and  where  to  look  for 
the  bee,  they  also  saw  its  course. 

"  You  tell  him  ag'in  go  dere  ?"  asked  Peter,  whose  into- 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  293 

rest  by  this  time  was  so  manifest,  as  to  defy  all  attempts  at 
concealment. 

"  To  be  sure  I  did.  The  bees  obey  me,  as  your  young 
men  obey  you.  I  am  their  chief,  and  they  know  me.  1 
will  give  you  further  proof  of  this.  We  will  now  go  to 
that  little  bit  of  wood,  when  you  shall  all  see  what  it  con 
tains.  I  have  sent  three  of  my  bees  there ;  and  here,  one 
of  them  is  already  back,  to  let  me  know  what  he  has  seen." 

Sure  enough,  a  bee  was  buzzing  around  the  head  of  le 
Bourdon,  probably  attracted  by  some  fragment  of  comb,  and 
he  cunningly  converted  it  into  a  messenger  from  the  copse! 
All  this  was  wonderful  to  the  crowd,  and  it  even  greatl) 
troubled  Peter.  This  man  was  much  less  liable  to  the  in 
fluence  of  superstition  than  most  of  his  people ;  but  he  was 
very  far  from  being  altogether  above  it.  This  is  the  fact 
with  very  few  civilized  men  ;  perhaps  with  no  man  whatever, 
let  his  philosophy  and  knowledge  be  what  they  may ;  and 
least  of  all,  is  it  true  with  the  ignorant.  There  is  too 
much  of  the  uncertain,  of  the  conjectural  in  our  condition 
as  human  beings,  to  raise  us  altogether  above  the  distrusts, 
doubts,  wonder,  and  other  weaknesses  of  our  present  con 
dition.  To  these  simple  savages,  the  manner  in  which  the 
bees  flew,  seemingly  at  le  Bourdon's  bidding,  to  this  or  that 
thicket,  was  quite  as  much  a  matter  of  astonishment,  as 
any  of  our  most  elaborate  deceptions  are  wonders  to  our 
own  ignorant  and  vulgar.  Ignorant !  And  where  is  the 
line  to  be  drawn  that  is  to  place  men  beyond  the  pale  of 
ignorance?  Each  of  us  fails  in  some  one,  if  not  in  very 
many  of  the  important  branches  of  the  knowledge  that  is 
even  reduced  to  rules  among  us.  Here  is  seen  the  man 
of  books,  so  ignorant  of  the  application  of  his  own  beloved 
theories,  as  to  be  a  mere  child  in  practice;  and,  there 
again,  can  be  seen  the  expert  in  practice,  who  is  totally 
unacquainted  with  a  single  principle,  of  the  many,  that  lie 
at  the  root  of  his  very  handy-craft.  Let  us  not,  then,  de 
ride  these  poor  children  of  the  forest,  because  that  which 
was  so  entirely  new  to  them,  should  also  appear  inexpli 
cable  and  supernatural. 

As  for  Peter,  he  was  more  confounded  than  convinced, 
His  mind  was  so  much  superior  to  those  of  the  other  chiefs, 
as  to  render  him  far  more  difficult  to  mislead ;  though  even 
25* 


294  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

he  was  not  exempt  from  the  great  weaknesses  of  ignorance-^- 
superstition,  and  its  concomitants,  credulity,  and  a  love  of  the 
marvellous.  His  mind  was  troubled,  as  was  quite  apparent 
to  Ben,  who  watched  him  quite  as  narrowly  as  he  was  ob 
served  himself,  in  all  he  did.  Willing  to  deepen  the  im 
pression,  our  artist  now  determined  to  exhibit  some  of  the 
higher  fruits  of  his  skill.  The  production  of  a  consider 
able  quantity  of  honey  would  of  itself  be  a  sort  of  peace- 
offering,  and  he  now  prepared  to  turn  the  certainty  of  there 
being  a  hive  in  the  little  wood  to  account — certainty,  be 
cause  three  bees  had  taken  wing  for  it,  and  a  very  distinct 
angle  had  been  made  with  two  of  them. 

"  Does  my  brother  wish  any  honey  ?"  asked  le  Bourdon, 
carelessly;  <cor  shall  I  send  a  bee  across  Lake  Michigan, 
to  tell  the  Injins  further  west  that  Detroit  is  taken?" 

"  Can  Bourdon  find  honey,  now  ?"  demanded  Peter. 

"  Easily.  Several  hives  are  within  a  mile  of  us.  The 
bees  like  this  prairie,  which  is  so  well  garnished  with 
flowers,  and  I  am  never  at  a  loss  for  work,  in  this  neigh 
bourhood.  This  is  my  favourite  bee-ground;  and  I  have 
got  all  the  little  creatures  so  that  they  know  me,  and  are 
ready  to  do  everything  that  I  tell  them.  As  I  see  that  the 
chiefs  love  honey,  and  wish  to  eat  some,  we  will  now  go  to 
one  of  my  hives." 

Thus  saying,  le  Bourdon  prepared  for  another  march. 
He  moved  with  all  his  appliances,  Margery  keeping  close 
at  his  side,  carrying  the  honey-comb  and  honey.  As  the 
girl  walked  lightly,  in  advance  of  the  Indians,  some  fifteen 
or  twenty  bees,  attracted  by  the  flavour  of  what  she  carried, 
kept  circling  around  her  head,  and  consequently  around 
that  of  Boden ;  and  Peter  did  not  fail  to  observe  the  cir 
cumstance.  To  him  it  appeared  as  if  these  bees  were  so 
many  accompanying  agents,  who  attended  their  master  in 
order  to  do  his  bidding.  In  a  word,  Peter  was  fast  getting 
into  that  frame  of  mind,  when  all  that  is  seen  is  pressed 
into  the  support  of  the  theory  we  have  adopted.  The  bee- 
hunter  had  some  mysterious  connection  with,  and  control 
over  the  bees,  and  this  was  one,  among  the  many  other  signs 
of  the  existence  of  his  power.  All  this,  however,  Boden 
himself  disregarded.  His  mind  was  bent  on  throwing  dust 
into  the  eyes  of  the  Indians;  and  he  was  cogitating  the 


THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 


295 


means  of  so  doing,  on  a  much  larger  scale  than  any  yet 
attempted. 

"Why  dem  bee  fly  'round  young  squaw?"  demanded 
Peter — '••  and  fly  round  you,  too?" 

"  They  know  us,  and  go  with  us  to  their  hive ;  just  as 
Injins  would  come  out  of  their  villages  to  meet  and  honour 
visitors." 

This  was  a  ready  reply,  but  it  scarcely  satisfied  the  wily 
savage  to  whom  it  was  given.  Just  then  Crowsfeather  led 
Peter  a  little  aside,  and  began  talking  earnestly  to  that 
chief,  both  continuing  on  with  the  crowd.  Le  Bourdon 
felt  persuaded  that  the  subject  of  this  private  conference 
was  some  of  his  own  former  backslidings  in  the  character 
of  a  conjuror,  and  that  the  Pottawattamie  would  not  deal 
very  tenderly  with  his  character.  Nevertheless,  it  was 
too  late  to  retrace  his  steps,  and  he  saw  the  necessity  of 
going  on. 

"  I  wish  you  had  not  come  out  with  us,"  the  bee-hunter 
found  an  occasion  to  say  to  Margery.  "  I  do  not  half  like 
the  state  of  things,  and  this  conjuration  about  the  bees  may 
all  fall  through." 

"  It  is  better  that  I  should  be  here,  Bourdon,"  returned 
the  spirited  girl.  "  My  being  here  may  make  them  less 
unfriendly  to  you.  When  I  am  by,  Peter  always  seems 
more  human,  and  less  of  a  savage,  they  all  tell  me,  than 
when  I  am  not  by." 

"  No  one  can  be  more  willing  to  own  your  power,  Mar 
gery,  than  I;  but  Injins  hold  the  squaws  too  cheap,  to  give 
you  much  influence  over  this  old  fellow." 

"  You  do  not  know — he  may  have  had  a  daughter  of 
about  my  age,  or  size,  or  appearance ;  or  with  my  laugh, 
or  voice,  or  something  else  that  reminds  him  of  her,  when 
he  sees  me.  One  thing  I  am  sure  of —  Peter  is  no  enemy 
of  mine." 

"  I  hope  this  may  prove  to  be  true!  I  do  not  see,  after 
all,  why  an  Injin  should  not  have  the  feelin's  you  name. 
He  is  a  man,  and  must  feel  for  his  wife  and  children,  the 
game  as  other — " 

"Bourdon,  what  ails  the  dog?  Look  at  the  manner  in 
which  Hive  is  behaving  l> 

Sure  enough,  the  appearance  of  Hive  was  sufficiently 


296  THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

obvious  to  attract  his  master's  attention.  By  this  time  the 
srowd  had  got  within  twenty  rods  of  the  little  island-like 
copse  of  wood,  the  mastiff  being  nearly  half  that  distance 
.m  advance.  Instead  of  preceding  the  party,  however, 
Hive  had  raised  his  form  in  a  menacing  manner,  and 
fnoved  cautiously  from  side  to  side,  like  one  of  his  kind 
that  scents  a  foe.  There  was  no  mistaking  these  move- 
merits;  and  all  the  principal  chiefs  soon  had  their  attention 
also  drawn  to  the  behaviour  of  the  dog. 

"  Why  he  do  so?"  asked  Peter.  "  He  'fraid  of  bee,  eh  ?'* 
"  He  waits  for  me  to  come  up/'  ansv/ered  le  Bourdon. 
"  Let  my  brother  and  two  other  chiefs  come  with  me,  and 
let  the  rest  stay  here.  Bees  do  not  like  crowds.  Corporal, 
I  put  Margery  in  your  keeping,  and  Parson  A  men  will  be 
near  you.  I  now  go  to  show  these  chiefs  what  a  bee  can 
tell  a  man." 

Thus  saying,  le  Bourdon  advanced,  followed  by  Peter, 
Bear's  Meat,  and  Crowsfeather.  Our  hero  had  made  up 
his  mind  that  something  more  than  bees  were  to  be  found 
in  the  thicket ;  for,  the  place  being  a  little  marshy,  bushes 
as  well  as  trees  were  growing  on  it,  and  he  fully  expected 
a  rencontre  with  bears,  the  creatures  most  disposed  to  prey 
upon  the  labours  of  the  bee — man  excepted.  Being  well 
armed,  and  accompanied  by  men  accustomed  to  such  strug 
gles,  he  had  no  apprehensions,  and  led  the  way  boldly, 
feeling  the  necessity  of  manifesting  perfect  confidence  in 
all  his  own  acts,  in  order  to  command  the  respect  of  the 
observers.  As  soon  as  the  bee-hunter  passed  the  dog,  the 
latter  growled,  showed  his  teeth  fiercely,  and  followed, 
keeping  closely  at  his  side.  The  confidence  and  alacrity 
with  which  le  Bourdon  moved  into  the  thicket,  compelled 
his  companions  to  be  on  the  alert ;  though  the  first  broke 
through  the  belt  of  hazles  which  enclosed  the  more  open 
area  within,  a  few  instants  before  the  Indians  reached  the 
place.  Then  it  was  that  there  arose  such  a  yell,  such 
screechings  and  cries,  as  reached  far  over  the  prairie,  and 
might  have  appalled  the  stoutest  heart.  The  picture  that  was 
soon  offered  to  the  eye  was  not  less  terrific  than  the  sounds 
which  assailed  the  ear.  Hundreds  of  savages,  in  their  war 
paint,  armed,  and  in  a  crowded  maze,  arose  as  it  might  be 
by  one  effort,  seemingly  out  of  the  earth,  and  began  to  leap 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  297 

and  play  their  antics  amid  the  trees.  The  sudden  spectacle 
of  a  crowd  of  such  beings,  nearly  naked,  frightfully  painted, 
and  tossing  their  arms  here  and  there,  while  each  yelled 
like  a  demon,  was  enough  to  overcome  the  nerves  of  a  very 
resolute  man.  But  le  Bourdon  was  prepared  for  a  conflict, 
and  even  felt  relieved,  rather  than  alarmed,  when  he  saw 
the  savages.  His  ready  mind  at  once  conceived  the  truth 
This  band  belonged  to  the  chiefs,  and  composed  the  whole, 
or  a  principal  part  of  the  force  which  he  knew  they  must 
have  outlying  somewhere  on  the  prairies,  or  in  the  open 
ings.  He  had  sufficiently  understood  the  hints  of  Pigeons- 
wing  to  be  prepared  for  such  a  meeting,  and  at  no  time,  of 
late,  had  he  approached  a  cover,  without  remembering  the 
possibility  of  its  containing  Indians. 

Instead  of  betraying  alarm,  therefore,  when  this  cloud 
of  phantom-like  beings  rose  before  his  eyes,  le  Bourdon 
stood  firm,  merely  turning  towards  the  chiefs  behind  him, 
to  ascertain  if  they  were  taken  by  surprise,  as  well  as  him 
self.  It  was  apparent  that  they  were ;  for,  understanding 
that  a  medicine-ceremony  was  to  take  place  on  the  prairie, 
these  "  young  men"  had  preceded  the  party  from  the  hut, 
and  had,  unknown  to  all  their  chiefs,  got  possession  of 
this  copse,  as  the  best  available  cover,  whence  to  make 
their  observations  on  what  was  going  on. 

"  My  brother  sees  his  young  men,"  said  le  Bourdon, 
quietly,  the  instant  a  dead  calm  had  succeeded  to  the  out 
cries  with  which  he  had  been  greeted.  '•'  I  thought  he  might 
wish  to  say  something  to  them,  and  my  bees  told  me  where 
to  find  them.  Does  my  brother  wish  to  know  anything 
else?" 

Great  was  the  wonder  of  the  three  chiefs,  at  this  exhi 
bition  of  medicine  power !  So  far  from  suspecting  the 
tfruth,  or  of  detecting  the  lucky  coincidence  by  which  le 
Bourdon  had  been  led  to  the  cover  of  their  warriors,  it  all 
appeared  to  them  to  be  pure  necromancy.  Such  an  art 
must  be  of  great  service ;  and  how  useful  it  would  be  to  the 
warrior  on  his  path,  to  be  accompanied  by  one  who  could 
thus  command  the  vigilance  of  the  bees ! 

"  You  find  enemy  all  same  as  friend  ?"  demanded  Peter, 
letting  out  the  thought  that  was  uppermost,  in  the  question. 


298  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

"  To  be  sure.  It  makes  no  difference  with  a  bee ;  he 
can  find  an  enemy  as  easily  as  he  can  find  a  friend." 

"No  whiskey-spring  dis  time?"  put  in  Crowsfeather,  a 
little  inopportunely,  and  with  a  distrust  painted  in  his 
swarthy  face  that  le  Bourdon  did  not  like. 

"  Pottawattamie,  you  do  not  understand  medicine-men. 
Ought  I  to  have  shown  your  young  men  where  whiskey 
was  to  be  had  for  nothing?  Ask  yourself  that  question. 
Did  you  wish  to  see  your  young  men  wallowing  like  hogs 
in  such  a  spring?  What  would  the  great  medicine-priest 
of  the  pale-faces,  who  is  out  yonder,  have  said  to  that  ?" 

This  was  a  coup  de  maitre  on  the  part  of  the  bee-hunter. 
Until  that  moment,  the  affair  of  the  whiskey-spring  had 
weighed  heavily  in  the  balance  against  him;  but,  now,  it 
was  suddenly  changed  over  in  the  scales,  and  told  as  strongly 
in  his  favour.  Even  a  savage  can  understand  the  morality 
which  teaches  men  to  preserve  their  reason,  and  not  to 
lower  themselves  to  the  level  of  brutes,  by  swallowing 
"  fire-water ;"  and  Crowsfeather  suddenly  saw  a  motive  for 
regarding  our  hero  with  the  eyes  of  favour,  instead  of  those 
of  distrust  and  dislike. 

"  What  the  pale-face  says  is  true,"  observed  Peter  to  his 
companion.  "  Had  he  opened  his  spring,  your  warriors 
would  have  been  weaker  than  women.  He  is  a  wonderful 
medicine-man,  and  we  must  not  provoke  him  to  anger. 
How  could  he  know,  but  through  his  bees,  that  our  young 
men  were  here  ?" 

This  question  could  not  be  answered ;  and  when  the 
chiefs,  followed  by  the  whole  band  of  warriors,  some  three 
or  four  hundred  in  number,  came  out  upon  the  open  prairie, 
all  that  had  passed  was  communicated  to  those  who  awaited 
their  return,  in  a  few  brief,  but  clear  explanations.  Le 
Bourdon  found  a  moment  to  let  Margery  comprehend  his 
position  and  views,  while  Parson  Amen  and  the  corporal 
were  put  sufficiently  on  their  guard,  not  to  make  any  un 
fortunate  blunder.  The  last  was  much  more  easily  managed 
than  the  first.  So  exceedingly  sensitive  was  the  conscience 
of  the  priest,  that  had  he  clearly  understood  the  game  le 
Bourdon  was  playing,  he  might  have  revolted  at  the  idea  of 
necromancy,  as  touching  on  the  province  of  evil  spirits; 
but  he  was  so  well  mystified,  as  to  suppose  all  that  passed 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  299 

was  regularly  connected  with  the  art  of  taking  bees.  In 
this  respect,  he  and  the  Indians  equally  resembled  one  of 
those  familiar  pictures,  in  which  we  daily  see  men,  in 
masses,  contributing  to  their  own  deception  and  subjection, 
while  they  fondly  but  blindly  imagine  that  they  are  not  only 
inventors,  but  masters.  This  trade  of  mastery,  after  all,  is 
the  property  of  a  very  few  minds;  and  no  precaution  of 
the  prudent,  no  forethought  of  the  wary,  nor  any  expedient 
of  charters,  constitutions,  or  restrictions,  will  prevent  the 
few  from  placing  their  feet  on  the  neck  of  the  many.  We 
may  revive  the  fable  of  King  Log  and  King  Stork,  as  often, 
and  in  as  many  forms  as  we  will ;  it  will  ever  be  the  fable 
of  King  Log  and  King  Stork.  We  are  no  admirers  of  po 
litical  aristocracies,  as  a  thousand  paragraphs  from  our  pen 
will  prove ;  and,  as  for  monarchs,  we  have  long  thought 
they  best  enact  their  parts,  when  most  responsible  to  opi 
nion  ;  but  we  cannot  deceive  ourselves  on  the  subject  of 
the  atrocities  that  are  daily  committed  by  those  who  are 
ever  ready  to  assume  the  places  of  both,  making  their  fel 
low-creatures  in  masses  their  dupes,  and  using  those  that 
they  affect  to  serve. 

Ben  Boden  was  now  a  sort  of  "  gouvernement  provisoire" 
among  the  wondering  savages  who  surrounded  him.  He 
had  got  them  to  believe  in  necromancy,  a  very  considerable 
step  towards  the  exercise  of  despotic  power.  It  is  true,  he 
hardly  knew,  himself,  what  was  to  be  done  next ;  but  he 
saw  quite  distinctly  that  he  was  in  a  dilemma,  and  must 
manage  to  get  out  of  it  by  some  means  or  other.  If  he 
could  only  succeed  in  this  instance,  as  well  as  he  had  suc 
ceeded  in  his  former  essay  in  the  black  art,  all  might  be 
well,  and  Margery  be  carried  in  triumph  into  the  settle 
ments.  Margery,  pro  lux,c  vice,  was  his  goddess  of  liberty, 
and  he  asked  for  no  higher  reward,  than  to  be  permitted  to 
live  the  remainder  of  his  days  in  the  sunshine  of  her  smiles. 
Liberty !  a  word  that  is,  just  now,  in  all  men's  mouths,  but 
in  how  few  hearts  in  its  purity  and  truth !  What  a  melan 
choly  mistake,  moreover,  to  suppose  that,  could  it  be  en 
joyed  in  that  perfection  with  which  the  imaginations  of 
men  love  to  cheat  their  judgments,  it  is  the  great  good  of 
life !  One  hour  spent  in  humble  veneration  for  the  Being 
that  gave  it,  in  common  with  all  of  earth,  its  vacillating 


300  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

and  uncertain  existence,  is  of  more  account  than  ages 
passed  in  its  service ;  and  he  who  fancies  that  in  worship 
ing  liberty,  he  answers  the  great  end  of  his  existence,  hugs 
a  delusion  quite  as  weak,  and  infinitely  more  dangerous, 
than  that  which  now  came  over  the  minds  of  Peter  and  his 
countrymen,  in  reference  to  the  intelligence  of  the  bees. 
It  is  a  good  thing  to  possess  the  defective  and  qualified 
freedom,  which  we  term  "liberty;"  but  it  is  a  grave  error 
to  set  it  up  as  an  idol  to  be  worshipped. 

"What  my  brother  do  next?"  demanded  Bear's  Meat, 
who,  being  a  somewhat  vulgar-minded  savage,  was  all  for 
striking  and  wonder-working  exhibitions  of  necromancy, 
"  P'raps  he  find  some  honey,  now?" 

"  If  you  wish  it,  chief.  What  says  Peter  ? — shall  I  ask 
my  bees  to  tell  where  there  is  a  hive  ?" 

As  Peter  very  readily  assented,  le  Bourdon  next  set  about 
achieving  this  new  feat  in  his  art.  The  reader  will  recol 
lect  that  the  positions  of  two  hives  were  already  known  to 
the  bee-hunter,  by  means  of  that  very  simple  arid  every 
day  process  by  which  he  earned  his  bread.  One  of  these 
hives  was  in  the  point  of  wood  already  mentioned,  that  lay 
along  the  margin  of  the  prairie;  while  the  other  was  in 
this  very  copse,  where  the  savages  had  secreted  themselves. 
Boden  had  now  no  thought  of  giving  any  further  disturb 
ance  to  this  last-named  colony  of  insects ;  for  an  insight 
into  their  existence  might  disturb  the  influence  obtained 
by  the  jugglery  of  the  late  discovery,  and  he  at  once  turned 
his  attention  towards  the  other  hive  indicated  by  his  bees. 

Nor  did  le  Bourdon  now  deem  it  necessary  to  resort  t 
his  usual  means  of  carrying  on  his  trade.  These  were  not 
necessary  to  one  who  knew  already  where  the  hive  was  to 
be  found,  while  it  opened  the  way  to  certain  mummeries 
that  might  be  made  to  tell  well  in  support  of  his  assumed 
character.  Catching  a  bee,  then,  and  keeping  it  confined 
within  his  tumbler,  Ben  held  the  last  to  his  ear,  as  if  listen* 
ing  to  what  the  fluttering  insect  had  to  say.  Having  seem 
ingly  satisfied  himself  on  this  point,  he  desired  the  chiefs 
once  more  to  follow  him,  having  first  let  the  bee  go,  with  a 
good  deal  of  ceremony.  This  set  all  in  motion  again ;  the 
party  being  now  increased  by  the  whole  band  of  savages 
who  had  beon  "  put  up"  from  their  cover. 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 


301 


By  this  time,  Margery  began  to  tremble  for  the  conse 
quences.  She  had  held  several  short  conferences  with  le 
Bourdon,  as  they  walked  together,  and  had  penetrated  far 
enough  into  his  purposes  to  see  that  he  was  playing  a 
ticklish  game.  It  might  succeed  for  a  time,  but  she  feared 
it  must  fail  in  the  end ;  and  there  was  always  the  risk  of 
incurring  the  summary  vengeance  of  savages.  Perhaps 
she  did  not  fully  appreciate  the  power  of  superstition,  and 
the  sluggishness  of  the  mind  that  once  submits  to  its  in 
fluence  ;  while  her  woman's  heart  made  her  keenly  alive 
to  all  those  frightful  consequences  that  must  attend  an  ex 
posure.  Nevertheless,  nothing  could  now  be  done  to  avert 
the  consequences.  It  was  too  late  to  recede,  and  things 
must  take  their  course,  even  at  all  the  hazards  of  the  case. 
That  she  might  not  be  wholly  useless,  when  her  lover  was 
risking  so  much  for  herself,  Margery  well  understanding 
that  her  escape  was  the  only  serious  difficulty  the  bee-hunter 
apprehended,  the  girl  turned  all  her  attention  to  Peter,  in 
whose  favour  she  felt  that  she  had  been  daily  growing,  and 
on  whose  pleasure  so  much  must  depend.  Changing  her 
position  a  little,  she  now  came  closer  to  the  chief  than  she 
had  hitherto  done. 

"Squaw  like  medicine-man?"  asked  Peter,  with  a  signi 
ficance  of  expression  that  raised  a  blush  in  Margery's 
cheek. 

"  You  mean  to  ask  me  if  I  like  to  see  medicine-men  per 
form,"  answered  Margery,  with  the  readiness  of  her  sex. 
"  White  women  are  always  curious,  they  say — how  is  it 
with  the  women  of  the  red  men  ?" 

"  Juss  so — full  of  cur'osity.  Squaw  is  squaw — no  matter 
what  colour." 

"  I  am  sorry,  Peter,  you  do  not  think  better  of  squaws. 
Perhaps  you  never  had  a  squaw — no  wife,  or  daughter  ?" 

A  gleam  of  powerful  feeling  shot  athwart  the  dark  coun 
tenance  of  the  Indian,  resembling  the  glare  of  the  electric 
fluid  flashing  on  a  cloud  at  midnight ;  but  it  passed  away 
as  quickly  as  it  appeared,  leaving  in  its  stead  the  hard, 
condensed  expression,  which  the  intensity  of  a  purpose  so 
long  entertained  and  cultivated,  had  imprinted  there,  as 
indelibly  as  if  cut  in  stone. 
26 


302 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 


"All  chief  have  squaw — all  chief  have  pappoose — '  was 
the  answer  that  came  at  last.  "  What  he  good  for,  eh?" 

"  It  is  always  good  to  have  children,  Peter ;  especially 
when  the  children  themselves  are  good." 

"  Good  for  pale-face,  maybe — no  good  for  Injin.  Pale 
face  glad  when  pappoose  born — red-skin  sorry." 

"  I  hope  this  is  not  so.  Why  should  an  Injin  be  sorry 
to  see  the  laugh  of  his  little  son?" 

"  Laugh  when  he  little — p'raps  so ;  he  little,  and  don't 
know  what  happen.  But  Injin  don't  laugh  any  more  when 
he  grow  up.  Game  gone;  land  gone;  corn-field  gone. 
No  more  room  for  Injin  —  pale-face  want  all.  Pale-face 
young  man  laugh— red-skin  young  man  cry.  Dat  how  it 
is." 

"  Oh !  I  hope  not,  Peter  !  I  should  be  sorry  to  think  it 
was  so.  The  red  man  has  as  good  a  right — nay,  he  has  a 
better  right  to  this  country  than  we  whites ;  and  God  forbid 
that  he  should  hot  always  have  his  full  share  of  the  land !" 

Margery  probably  owed  her  life  to  that  honest,  natural 
burst  of  feeling,  which  was  uttered  with  a  warmth  and  sin 
cerity  that  could  leave  no  doubt  that  the  sentiment  expressed 
came  from  the  heart.  Thus  singularly  are  we  constructed  ! 
A  minute  before,  and  no  exemption  was  made  in  the  mind 
of  Peter,  in  behalf  of  this  girl,  in  the  plan  he  had  formed 
for  cutting  off  the  whites ;  on  the  contrary,  he  had  often 
bethought  him  of  the  number  of  young  pale-faces  that 
might  be,  as  it  were,  strangled  in  their  cradles,  by  includ 
ing  the  bee-hunter  and  his  intended  squaw  in  the  content 
plated  sacrifice.  All  this  was  changed,  as  in  the  twinkling 
of  an  eye,  by  Margery's  honest  and  fervent  expression  of 
her  sense  of  right,  on  the  great  subject  that  occupied  all 
of  Peter's  thoughts.  These  sudden  impulses  in  the  direc 
tion  of  love  for  our  species,  the  second  of  the  high  lessons 
left  by  the  Redeemer  to  his  disciples,  are  so  many  proofs 
of  the  creation  of  man  in  the  image  of  his  maker.  "They 
exert  their  power  often  when  least  expected,  and  are  ever 
stamped  by  the  same  indelible  impression  of  their  divine 
origin.  Without  these  occasional  glimpses  at  those  quali 
ties  which  are  so  apt  to  lie  dormant,  we  might  indeed  des 
pair  of  the  destinies  of  our  race.  We  are,  however,  in 
safe  and  merciful  hands;  and  all  the  wonderful  events  thai 


THE     OAK    OPENINGS.  303 

are  at  this  moment  developing  themselves  around  us,  are 
no  other  than  the  steps  taken  by  Providence  in  the  progress 
it  is  steadily  making  towards  the  great  and  glorious  end ! 
Some  of  the  agencies  will  be  corrupt ;  others  deluded :  and 
no  one  of  them  all,  perhaps,  will  pursue  with  unerring 
wisdom  the  precise  path  that  ought  to  be  taken ;  but  even 
the  crimes,  errors,  and  delusions,  will  be  made  instrumental 
in  achieving  that  which  was  designed  before  the  founda 
tions  of  this  world  were  laid ! 

"Does  my  daughter  wish  this?"  returned  Peter,  when 
Margery  had  thus  frankly  and  sincerely  given  vent  to  her 
feelings.  "  Can  a  pale-face  squaw  wish  to  leave  an  Injin 
any  of  his  hunting-grounds'?" 

"  Thousands  of  us  wish  it,  Peter,  and  I  for  one.  Often 
and  often  have  we  talked  of  this  around  our  family  fire, 
and  even  Gershom,  when  his  head  has  not  been  affected  by 
fire-water,  has  thought  as  we  all  have  thought.  I  know 
that  Bourdon  thinks  so,  too ;  and  I  have  heard  him  say 
that  he  thought  Congress  ought  to  pass  a  law  to  prevent 
white  men  from  getting  any  more  of  the  Injin's  lands." 

The  face  of  Peter  would  have  been  a  remarkable  study, 
during  the  few  moments  that  his  fierce  will  was  in  the  pro 
cess  of  being  brought  in  subjugation  to  the  influence  of  his 
better  feelings.  At  first  he  appeared  bewildered ;  then 
compunction  had  its  shade ;  and  human  sympathy  came 
last,  asserting  its  long  dormant,  but  inextinguishable  power. 
Margery  saw  some  of  this,  though  it  far  exceeded  her  pene 
tration  to  read  all  the  workings  of  that  stern  and  savage 
mind;  yet  she  felt  encouraged  by  what  she  did  see  and 
understand. 

While  an  almighty  and  divine  Providence  was  thus  car 
rying  out  its  own  gracious  designs  in  its  own  way,  the  bee- 
hunter  continued  bent  on  reaching  a  similar  end  by  means 
of  his  own.  Little  did  he  imagine  how  much  had  been 
done  for  him  within  the  last  few  moments,  and  how  greatly 
all  he  had  in  view  was  jeoparded  and  put  at  risk  by  his  own 
contrivances — contrivances  which  seemed  to  him  so  clever, 
but  which  were  wanting  in  the  unerring  simplicity  and 
truth,  that  render  those  that  come  from  above  infallible. 
Still,  the  expedients  of  le  Bourdon  may  have  had  their  agency 
in  bringing  about  events,  and  may  have  been  intended  to 


304 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 


be  a  part  of  that  moral  machinery,  which  was  now  at  work 
in  the  breast  of  Peter,  for  good. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  bee-hunter  habitually 
carried  a  small  spy-glass,  as  a  part  of  the  implements  of 
his  calling.  It  enabled  him  to  watch  the  bees,  as  they  went 
in  and  came  out  of  the  hives,  on  the  highest  trees,  and 
often  saved  him  hours  of  fruitless  search.  This  glass  was 
now  in  his  hand ;  for,  an  object  on  a  dead  tree,  that  rose  a 
little  apart  from  those  around  it,  and  which  stood  quite 
near  the  extreme  point  in  the  forest,  towards  which  they 
were  all  proceeding,  had  caught  his  attention.  The  dis 
tance  was  still  too  great  to  ascertain  by  the  naked  eye  what 
tuat  object  was;  but  a  single  look  with  the  glass  showed 
that  it  was  a  bear.  This  was  an  old  enemy  of  the  bee- 
hunter,  who  often  encountered  the  animal,  endeavouring 
to  get  at  the  honey,  and  he  had  on  divers  occasions  been 
obliged  to  deal  with  these  plunderers,  before  he  could  suc 
ceed  in  his  own  plans  of  pilfering.  The  bear  now  seen 
continued  in  sight  but  an  instant ;  the  height  to  which  he 
had  clambered  being  so  great,  most  probably,  as  to  weary 
him  with  the  effort,  and  to  compel  him  to  fall  back  again. 
All  this  was  favourable  to  le  Bourdon's  wishes,  who  imme 
diately  called  a  halt. 

The  first  thing  that  Bourdon  did,  when  all  the  dark  eyes 
were  gleaming  on  him  in  fierce  curiosity,  was  to  catch  a 
bee  and  hold  it  to  his  ear,  as  it  buzzed  about  in  the  tumbler. 

"You  t'ink  dat  bee  talk?"  Peter  asked  of  Margery,  in 
a  tone  of  confidence,  as  if  a  newly-awakened  principle  now 
existed  between  them. 

"  Bourdon  must  think  so,  Peter,"  the  girl  evasively  an 
swered,  "  or  he  would  hardly  listen  to  hear  what  it  says." 

"  It  strange,  bee  should  talk!  Almos'  as  strange  as  pale 
face  wish  to  leave  Injin  any  land  !  Sartain,  bee  talk,  eh  ?" 

"  I  have  never  heard  one  talk,  Peter,  unless  it  might  be 
in  its  buzzing.  That  may  be  the  tongue  of  a  bee,  for  any 
thing  I  know  to  the  contrary." 

By  this  time  le  Bourdon  seemed  to  be  satisfied,  and  let 
the  bee  go ;  the  savages  murmuring  their  wonder  and  ad 
miration. 

"  Do  my  brothers  wish  to  hunt  ?"  asked  the  bee-hunter 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  *05 

to  a  voice  so  loud,  that  all  near  might  hear  what  he  t  4<J  to 
say. 

This  question  produced  a  movement  at  once.  Skill  in 
hunting,  next  to  success  on  the  war-path,  constitutes  the 
great  merit  of  an  Indian  ;  and  it  is  ever  his  delight  to  show 
that  he  possesses  it.  No  sooner  did  le  Bourdon  throw  out 
his  feeler,  therefore,  than  a  general  exclamation  proclaimed 
the  readiness  of  all  the  young  men,  in  particular,  to  join 
in  the  chase. 

"  Let  my  brothers  come  closer,"  said  Ben,  in  an  autho 
ritative  manner ;  "  I  have  something  to  put  into  their  ears. 
They  see  that  point  of  wood,  where  the  dead  bass-wood  has 
fallen  on  the  prairie.  Near  that  bass-wood  is  honey,  and 
near  the  honey  are  bears.  This,  my  bees  have  told  me. 
Now,  let  my  brothers  divide,  and  some  go  into  the  woods, 
and  some  stay  on  the  prairie ;  then  they  will  have  plenty  of 
sweet  food." 

As  all  this  was  very  simple,  and  easily  to  be  compre 
hended,  not  a  moment  was  lost  in  the  execution.  With 
surprising  order  and  aptitude,  the  chiefs  led  off  their  par 
ties;  one  line  of  dark  warriors  penetrating  the  forest  on 
the  eastern  side  of  the  bass-wood,  and  another  on  its  west 
ern;  while  a  goodly  number  scattered  themselves  on  the 
prairie  itself,  in  its  front.  In  less  than  a  quarter  of  an 
hour,  signals  came  from  the  forest  that  the  battue  was 
ready,  and  Peter  gave  the  answering  sign  to  proceed. 

Down  to  this  moment,  doubts  existed  among  the  savages 
concerning  the  accuracy  of  le  Bourdon's  statement.  How 
was  it  possible  that  his  bees  should  tell  him  where  he  could 
find  bears?  To  be  sure,  bears  were  the  great  enemies  of 
bees — this  every  Indian  knew — but  could  the  bees  have 
a  faculty  of  thus  arming  one  enemy  against  another? 
These  doubts,  however,  were  soon  allayed  by  the  sudden 
appearance  of  a  drove  of  bears,  eight  or  ten  in  number, 
that  came  waddling  out  of  the  woods,  driven  before  the 
circle  of  shouting  hunters  that  had  been  formed  within. 

Now  commenced  a  scene  of  wild  tumult  and  of  fierce 
delight.  The  warriors  on  the  prairie  retired  before  their 
enemies,  until  all  of  their  associates  were  clear  of  the  forest, 
when  the  circle  swiftly  closed  again,  until  it  had  brought 
the  bears  to  something  like  close  quarters.  Bear's  Meat, 
26  • 


306  THE    OAK     OPENINGS 

as  became  his  appellation,  led  off  the  dance,  letting  fly  an 
arrow  at  the  nearest  animal.  Astounded  by  the  great 
number  of  their  enemies,  and  not  a  little  appalled  by  theii 
yells,  the  poor  quadrupeds  did  not  know  which  way  to  turn. 
Occasionally,  attempts  were  made  to  break  through  the 
circle,  but  the  flight  of  arrows,  aimed  directly  at  their  faces, 
invariably  drove  the  creatures  back.  Fire-arms  were  not 
resorted  to  at  all  in  this  hunt,  spears  and  arrows  being  the 
weapons  depended  on.  Several  ludicrous  incidents  oc 
curred,  but  none  that  were  tragical.  One  or  two  of  the 
more  reckless  of  the  hunters,  ambitious  of  shining  before 
the  representatives  of  so  many  tribes,  ran  rather  greater 
risks  than  were  required,  but  they  escaped  with  a  few  smart 
scratches.  In  one  instance,  however,  a  young  Indian  had 
a  still  narrower  squeeze  for  his  life.  Literally  a  squeeze  it 
was;  for,  suffering  himself  to  get  within  the  grasp  of  a 
bear,  he  came  near  being  pressed  to  death,  ere  his  compa 
nions  could  despatch  the  creature.  As  for  the  prisoner, 
the  only  means  he  had  to  prevent  his  being  bitten,  was  to 
thrust  the  head  of  his  spear  into  the  bear's  mouth,  where 
he  succeeded  in  holding  it,  spite  of  the  animal's  efforts  to 
squeeze  him  into  submission.  By  the  time  this  combat 
was  terminated,  the  field  was  strewed  with  the  slain;  every 
one  of  the  bears  having  been  killed  by  hunters  so  much 
practised  in  the  art  oi  destroying  game. 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  307 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

She  was  an  only  child — her  name  Ginevra; 
The  joy,  the  pride  of  an  indulgent  father ; 
And  in  her  fifteenth  year  became  a  bride, 
Marrying  an  only  son,  Francesco  Doria, 
Her  playmate  from  her  birth,  and  her  first  love. 

ROGERS. 

DURING  the  hunt  there  was  little  leisure  for  reflection  on 
the  seemingly  extraordinary  manner  in  which  the  bee-hunter 
had  pointed  out  the  spot  where  the  bears  were  to  be  found. 
No  one  of  the  Indians  had  seen  him  apply  the  glass  to  his 
eye,  for,  leading  the  party,  he  had  been  able  to  do  this  un 
observed  ;  but,  had  they  witnessed  such  a  procedure,  it 
would  have  been  as  inexplicable  as  all  the  rest.  It  is  true, 
Crowsfeather  and  one  or  two  of  his  companions  had  taken 
a  look  through  that  medicine-glass,  but  it  rather  contributed 
to  increase  the  conjurer's  renown,  than  served  to  explain 
any  of  the  marvels  he  performed. 

Peter  was  most  struck  with  all  that  had  just  occurred. 
He  had  often  heard  of  the  skill  of  those  who  hunted  bees, 
and  had  several  times  met  with  individuals  who  practised 
the  art,  but  this  was  the  first  occasion  on  which  he  had 
ever  been  a  witness,  in  his  own  person,  of  the  exercise  of 
a  craft  so  wonderful !  Had  the  process  been  simply  that 
of  catching  a  bee,  filling  it  with  honey,  letting  it  go,  and 
then  following  it  to  its  hive,  it  would  have  been  so  simple 
as  to  require  no  explanation.  But  Peter  was  too  intelli 
gent,  as  well  as  too  observant,  not  to  have  seen  that  a  great 
deal  more  than  this  was  necessary.  On  the  supposition 
that  the  bee  flew  towards  the  forest,  as  had  been  the  fact 
with  two  of  the  bees  taken  that  morning,  in  what  part  of 
that  forest  was  the  hunter  to  look  for  the  bee-tree?  It  was 
the  angle  that  perplexed  Peter,  as  it  did  all  the  Indians; 
for  that  angle,  to  be  understood,  required  a  degree  of 
knowledge  and  calculation  that  entirely  exceeded  all  he 
had  ever  acquired.  Thus  is  it  with  us  ever.  The  powers, 
and  faculties,  and  principles  that  are  necessary  fully  to 


308  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

comprehend  all  that  we  see,  and  all  that  surrounds  us,  exist 
and  have  been  bestowed  on  man  by  his  beneficent  Creator. 
Still,  it  is  only  by  slow  degrees  that  he  is  to  become  their 
master,  acquiring  knowledge  step  by  step,  as  he  has  need 
of  its  services,  and  learns  how  to  use  it.  Such  seems  to 
be  the  design  of  Providence,  which  is  gradually  opening  to 
our  inquiries  the  arcana  of  nature,  in  order  that  we  may 
convert  their  possession  into  such  uses  as  will  advance  its 
own  wise  intentions.  Happy  are  they  who  feel  this  truth 
in  their  character  of  individuals !  Thrice  happy  the  na 
tions  which  can  be  made  to  understand,  that  the  surest 
progress  is  that  which  is  made  on  the  clearest  principles, 
and  with  the  greatest  caution !  The  notion  of  setting  up 
anything  new  in  morals,  is  as  fallacious  in  theory  as  it  will 
be  found  to  be  dangerous  in  practice. 

It  has  been  said  that  a  sudden  change  had  come  over 
the  fierce  purposes  of  Peter.  For  some  time,  the  nature, 
artlessness,  truth,  feminine  playfulness  and  kindness,  not 
to  say  personal  beauty  of  Margery,  had  been  gradually 
softening  the  heart  of  this  stern  savage,  as  it  respected  the 
girl  herself.  Nothing  of  a  weak  nature  was  blended  with 
this  feeling,  which  was  purely  the  growth  of  that  divine 
principle  that  is  implanted  in  us  all.  The  quiet,  earnest 
manner  in  which  the  girl  had,  that  day,  protested  her  desire 
to  see  the  rights  of  the  red  man  respected,  completed  her 
conquest;  and,  so  far  as  the  great  chief  was  concerned, 
secured  her  safety.  It  may  seem  singular,  however,  that 
Peter,  with  all  his  influence,  was  unable  to  say  that  even 
one  that  he  was  so  much  disposed  to  favour,  should  be 
spared.  By  means  of  his  own  eloquence,  and  persever 
ance,  and]  deep  desire  for  vengeance,  however,  he  had 
aroused  a  spirit  among  his  followers  that  was  not  so  easily 
quelled.  On  several  occasions,  he  had  found  it  difficult  to 
prevent  the  younger  and  more  impetuous  of  the  chiefs  from 
proceeding  at  once  to  secure  the  scalps  of  those  who  were 
in  their  power ;  and  this  he  had  done,  only  by  promising  to 
increase  the  number  of  the  victims.  How  was  he  then  to 
lessen  that  number?  and  that,  too,  when  circumstances  did 
not  seem  likely  to  throw  any  more  immediately  into  his 
power,  as  he  had  once  hoped.  This  council  must  soon  be 
over,  and  it  would  not  be  in  his  power  to  send  the  chiefs 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  309 

away  without  enumerating  the  scalps  of  the  pale-faces  pre 
sent  among  those  which  were  to  make  up  the  sum  of  then 
race. 

Taking.the  perplexity  produced  by  the  bee-hunter's  nec 
romancy,  and  adding  it  to  his  concern  for  Margery,  Peter 
found  ample  subject  for  all  his  reflections.  While  the 
young  men  were  dressing  their  bears,  and  making  the  pre 
parations  for  a  feast,  he  walked  apart,  like  a  man  whose 
thoughts  had  little  in  common  with  the  surrounding  scene. 
Even  the  further  proceedings  of  le  Bourdon,  who  had  dis 
covered  his  bee-tree,  had  felled  it,  and  was  then  Distributing 
the  honey  among  the  Indians,  could  not  draw  him  from  his 
meditations.  The  great  council  of  all  was  to  be  held  that 
very  day — there,  on  Prairie  Round — and  it  was  imperative 
on  Peter  to  settle  the  policy  he  intended  to  pursue,  pre 
viously  to  the  hour  when  the  fire  was  to  be  lighted,  and  the 
chiefs  met  in  final  consultation. 

In  the  mean  time,  le  Bourdon,  by  his  distribution  of  the 
honey,  no  less  than  by  the  manner  in  which  he  had  found 
it,  was  winning  golden  opinions  of  those  who  shared  in  his 
bounty.  One  would  think  that  the  idea  of  property  is  im 
planted  in  us  by  nature,  since  men  in  all  conditions  appear 
to  entertain  strong  and  distinct  notions  of  this  right.  Na 
tural  it  may  not  be,  in  the  true  signification  of  the  term ; 
but  it  is  a  right  so  interwoven  with  those  that  are  derived 
from  nature,  and  more  particularly  with  our  wants,  as  al 
most  to  identify  it  with  the  individual  being.  It  is  certain 
that  all  we  have  of  civilization  is  dependent  on  a  just  pro 
tection  of  this  right;  for,  without  the  assurance  of  enjoy 
ing  his  earnings,  who  would  produce  beyond  the  supply 
necessary  for  his  own  immediate  wants?  Among  the  Ame 
rican  savages  the  rights  of  property  are  distinctly  recog 
nised,  so  far  as  their  habits  and  resources  extend.  The 
hunting-ground  belongs  to  the  tribe,  and  occasionally  the 
field;  but  the  wigwam,  and  the  arms,  and  the  skins,  both 
for  use  and  for  market,  and  often  the  horses,  and  all  other 
movables,  belong  to  the  individual.  So  sacred  is  this  right 
held  to  be,  that  not  one  of  those  who  stood  by,  and  saw  le 
Bourdon  fell  his  tree,  and  who  witnessed  the  operation  of 
bringing  to  light  its  stores  of  honey,  appeared  to  dream  of 
meddling  with  the  delicious  store,  until  invited  so  to  do  by 


310  THE     OAK    OPENINGS. 

its  lawful  owner.  It  was  this  reserve,  and  this  respect  for 
a  recognised  principle,  that  enabled  the  bee-hunter  to  pur 
chase  a  great  deal  of  popularity,  by  giving  away  liberally 
an  article  so  much  prized.  None,  indeed,  was  reserved; 
Boden  seeing  the  impossibility  of  carrying  it  away.  Happy 
would  he  have  been,  most  happy,  could  he  have  felt  the  as 
surance  of  being  able  to  get  Margery  off,  without  giving  a 
second  thought  to  any  of  his  effects,  whether  present  or 
absent. 

As  has  been  intimated,  the  bee-hunter  was  fast  rising  in 
the  favour *)f  the  warriors;  particularly  of  those  who  had 
a  weakness  on  the  score  of  the  stomach.  This  is  the  first 
great  avenue  to  the  favour  of  man — the  belly  ruling  all  the 
other  members,  the  brains  included.  All  this  Peter  noted, 
and  was  now  glad  to  perceive ;  for,  in  addition  to  the  favoui 
that  Margery  had  found  in  his  eyes,  that  wary  chief  ha6 
certain  very  serious  misgivings  on  the  subject  of  the  pru 
dence  of  attempting  to  deal  harshly  with  a  medicine-marx 
of  Boden's  calibre.  Touching  the  whiskey-spring  he  had 
been  doubtful,  from  the  first ;  even  Crowsfeather's  account 
of  the  wonderful  glass  through  which  that  chief  had  looked, 
and  seen  men  reduced  to  children,  and  then  converted  into 
giants,  had  failed  to  conquer  his  scepticism ;  but  he  was 
not  altogether  proof  against  what  he  had  that  day  beheld 
with  his  own  eyes.  These  marvels  shook  his  previous 
opinion  touching  the  other  matters;  and,  altogether,  the 
effect  was  to  elevate  the  bee-hunter  to  a  height,  that  it  really 
appeared  dangerous  to  assail. 

While  Peter  was  thus  shaken  with  doubts,  and  that  too 
on  a  point  on  which  he  had  hitherto  stood  as  firm  as  a  rock, 
there  was  another  in  the  crowd,  who  noted  the  growing 
favour  of  le  Bourdon  with  deep  disgust.  This  man  could 
hardly  be  termed  a  chief,  though  he  possessed  a  malignant 
power  that  was  often  wielded  to  the  discomfiture  of  those 
who  were.  He  went  by  the  significant  appellation  of  "  The 
AVeasel,"  a  sobriquet  that  had  been  bestowed  on  him  for 
some  supposed  resemblance  to  the  little  pilfering,  prowling 
quadruped  after  which  he  was  thus  named.  In  person,  and 
in  physical  qualities  generally,  this  individual  was  mean 
and  ill-favoured ;  and  squalid  habits  contributed  to  render 
him  even  less  attractive  than  he  might  otherwise  have  been. 


THE    OAK     OPENINGS.  311 

He  was,  moreover,  particularly  addicted  to  intemperance; 
lying,  wallowing  like  a  hog,  for  days  at  a  time,  whenever 
his  tribe  received  any  of  the  ample  contribution  of  fire 
water,  which  it  was  then  more  the  custom  than  it  is  to-day, 
to  send  among  the  aborigines.  A  warrior  of  no  renown, 
a  hunter  so  indifferent  as  to  compel  his  squaw  and  pap- 
pooses  often  to  beg  for  food  in  strange  lodges,  of  mean  pre 
sence,  and  a  drunkard,  it  may  seem  extraordinary  that  The 
Weasel  should  possess  any  influence  amid  so  many  chiefs 
renowned  for  courage,  wisdom,  deeds  in  arms,  on  the  hunt, 
and  for  services  around  the  council-fire.  It  was  all  due  to 
his  tongue.  Ungque,  or  The  Weasel,  was  eloquent  in  a 
high  degree,  possessing  that  variety  of  his  art  which  most 
addresses  itself  to  the  passions;  and,  strange  as  it  may 
seem,  men  are  oftener  and  more  easily  led  by  those  who  do 
little  else  than  promise,  than  by  those  who  actually  perform 
A  lying  and  fluent  tongue  becomes  a  power  of  itself,  with 
the  masses ;  subverting  reason,  looking  down  justice,  brow 
beating  truth,  and  otherwise  placing  the  wrong  before  the 
right.  This  quality  The  Weasel  possessed  in  a  high  de 
gree,  and  was  ever  willing  to  use,  on  occasions  that  seemed 
most  likely  to  defeat  the  wishes  of  those  he  hated.  Among 
the  last  was  Peter,  whose  known  ascendency  in  his  own  par 
ticular  tribe  had  been  a  source  of  great  envy  and  uneasi 
ness  to  this  Indian.  He  had  struggled  hard  to  resist  it, 
and  had  even  dared  to  speak  in  favour  of  the  pale-faces,  and 
in  opposition  to  the  plan  of  cutting  them  all  off,  purely  with 
a  disposition  to  oppose  this  mysterious  stranger.  It  had 
been  in  vain,  however;  the  current  running  the  other  way, 
and  the  fiery  eloquence  of  Peter  proving  too  strong  even 
for  him.  Now,  to  his  surprise,  from  a  few  words  dropped 
casually,  this  man  ascertained  that  their  greatest  leader  was 
disposed  so  far  to  relent,  as  not  to  destroy  all  the  pale-faces 
in  his  power.  Whom,  and  how  many  he  meant  to  spare, 
Ungque  could  not  tell ;  but  his  quick,  practised  discern 
ment  detected  the  general  disposition,  and  his  ruthless 
tendency  to  oppose,  caused  him  to  cast  about  for  the 
means  of  resisting  this  sudden  inclination  to  show  mercy. 
With  The  Weasel,  the  moving  principle  was  ever  that  of 
the  demagogue ;  it  was  to  flatter  the  mass  that  he  might 


313  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

lead  it ;  and  he  had  an  innate  hostility  to  whatever  was 
frank,  manly,  and  noble. 

The  time  had  now  come  when  the  Indians  wished  to  be 
alone.  At  this  council  it  was  their  intention  to  come  to  an 
important  decision;  and  even  the  "young  men,"  unless 
chiefs,  were  to  be  merely  distant  spectators.  Peter  sent 
for  le  Bourdon,  accordingly,  and  communicated  his  wish 
that  all  the  whites  would  return  to  the  castle,  whither  he 
promised  to  join  them  about  the  setting  of  the  sun.,  or  early 
the  succeeding  day. 

"One  of  you,  you  know — dat  my  wigwam,"  said  the 
grim  chief,  smiling  on  Margery  with  a  friendly  eye,  and 
shaking  hands  with  the  bee-hunter,  who  thought  his  manner 
less  constrained  than  on  former  similar  occasions.  "  Get 
good  supper  for  ole  Injin,  young  squaw  —  dat  juss  what 
squaw  good  for." 

Margery  laughingly  promised  to  remember  his  injunc 
tion,  and  went  her  way,  closely  attended  by  her  lover.  The 
corporal  followed,  armed  to  the  teeth,  and  keeping  at  just 
such  a  distance  from  the  young  people,  as  might  enable 
them  to  converse  without  being  overheard.  As  for  the 
missionary,  he  was  detained  a  moment  by  Peter,  the  others 
moving  slowly,  in  order  to  permit  him  to  come  up,  ere  they 
had  gone  their  first  mile.  Of  course,  the  mysterious  chief 
had  not  detained  Parson  Amen  without  a  motive. 

"  My  brother  has  told  me  many  curious  things,"  said 
Peter,  when  alone  with  the  missionary,  and  speaking  now 
in  the  language  of  the  Ojebvvays  —  "many  very  curious 
things.  I  like  to  listen  to  them.  Once  he  told  me  how 
the  pale-face  young  men  take  their  squaws." 

"  I  remember  to  have  told  you  this.  We  ask  the  Great 
Spirit  to  bless  our  marriages,  and  the  ceremony  is  com 
monly  performed  by  a  priest.  This  is  our  practice,  Peter ; 
though  not  necessary,  I  think  it  good." 

"  Yes ;  good  alway  for  pale-face  to  do  pale-face  fashion, 
and  for  Injin  to  do  Injin  fashion.  Don't  want  medicine 
man  to  get  red-skin  squaw.  Open  wigwam  door,  and  she 
come  in.  Dat  'nough.  If  she  don't  wish  to  come  in, 
can't  make  her.  Squaw  go  to  warrior  she  likes:  warrior 
ask  squaw  he  likes.  But  it  is  best  for  pale-face  to  take 
his  wife,  in  pale-face  fashion.  Does  not  my  brother  see  a 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  313 

young  man  of  his  people,  and  a  young  maiden,  that  he  had 
better  bring  together  and  bless?" 

"  You  must  mean  Bourdon  and  Margery,"  answered  the 
missionary,  in  English,  after  a  moment's  reflection.  "  The 
idea  is  a  new  one  to  me ;  for  my  mind  has  been  much  oc 
cupied  of  late,  with  other  and  more  important  matters; 
though  I  now  plainly  see  what  you  mean !" 

"  That  flower  of  the  Openings  would  soon  fade,  if  the 
young  bee-hunter  should  leave  it  alone  on  the  prairies. 
This  is  the  will  of  the  Great  Spirit.  He  puts  it  into  the 
minds  of  the  young  squaws  to  see  all  things  well  that  the 
hunters  of  their  fancy  do.  Why  he  has  made  the  young 
with  this  kindness  for  each  other,  perhaps  my  brother 
knows.  He  is  wise,  and  has  books.  The  poor  Injins  have 
none.  They  can  see  only  with  the  eyes  they  got  from  In 
jins,  like  themselves.  But  one  thing  they  know.  What 
the  Great  Spirk  has  commanded,  is  good.  Injins  can't 
make  it  any  better.  They  can  do  it  harm,  but  they  can  do 
it  no  good.  Let  my  brother  bless  the  couple  that  the  Ma- 
nitou  has  brought  together." 

"I  believe  I  understand  you,  Peter,  and  will  think  of 
this.  And  now  that  I  must  leave  you  for  a  little  while,  let 
me  beg  you  to  think  of  this  matter  of  the  origin  of  your 
tribes,  candidly,  and  with  care.  Everything  depends  on 
your  people's  not  mistaking  the  truth,  in  this  great  matter. 
It  is  as  necessary  for  a  nation  to  know  its  duties,  as  for  a 
single  man.  Promise  me  to  think  of  this,  Peter." 

"  My  brother's  words  have  come  into  my  ears — they  are 
good,"  returned  the  Indian,  courteously.  "  We  will  think 
of  them  at  the  council,  if  my  brother  will  bless  his  young 
man  and  young  maiden,  according  to  the  law  of  his  people." 

"I  wiH  promise  to  do  this,  Peter;  or  to  urge  Bourdon 
and  Margery  to  do  it,  if  you  will  promise  to  speak  to-day, 
in  council,  of  the  history  of  your  forefathers,  and  to  take 
into  consideration,  once  more,  the  great  question  of  your 
being  Hebrews." 

"I  will  speak  as  my  brother  wishes  —  let  him  do  as  I 
wish.  Let  him  tell  me  that  I  can  say  to  the  chiefs  before 
the  sun  has  fallen  the  length  of  my  arm,  that  the  young 
pale-face  bee-hunter  has  taken  the  young  pale-face  squaw 
into  his  wigwam." 
27 


314 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 


"  I  do  not  understand  your  motive,  Peter ;  but  that  which 
you  ask  is  wise,  and  according  to  God's  law,  and  it  shall 
be  done.  Fare  you  well,  then,  for  a  season.  When  we 
again  meet,  Bourdon  and  Margery  shall  be  one,  if  my  per 
suasions  can  prevail,  and  you  will  have  pressed  this  matter 
of  the  lost  tribes,  again,  home  to  your  people.  Fare  you 
well,  Peter;  fare  you  well." 

They  separated ;  the  Indian  with  a  cold  smile  of  cour 
tesy,  but  with  his  ruthless  intentions  as  respected  the  mis 
sionary  in  no  degree  changed.  Boden  and  Margery  alone 
were  exempt  from  vengeance,  according  to  his  present  de 
signs.  An  unaccountable  gentleness  of  feeling  governed 
him,  as  connected  with  the  girl ;  while  superstition,  and 
the  dread  of  an  unknown  power,  had  its  full  influence  on 
his  determination  to  spare  her  lover.  There  might  be 
some  faint  ray  of  human  feeling  glimmering  among  the 
fierce  fires  that  so  steadily  burned  in  the  breast  of  this 
savage;  but  they  were  so  much  eclipsed  by  the  brighter 
light  that  gleamed  around  them,  as  to  be  barely  perceptible, 
even  to  himself.  The  result  of  all  these  passions  was,  a 
determination  in  Peter  to  spare  those  whom  he  had  advised 
the  missionary  to  unite,  making  that  union  a  mysterious 
argument  in  favour  of  Margery,  and  to  sacrifice  all  the 
rest.  The  red  American  is  so  much  accustomed  to  uns 
species  of  ruthless  proceeding,  that  the  anguish  he  might 
occasion  the  very  beingo  to  whom  he  now  wished  to  be 
merciful,  gave  the  stern  chief  very  little  concern.  Leaving 
the  Indians  in  the  exclusive  possession  of  Prairie  Round, 
we  will  return  to  the  rest  of  the  party. 

The  missionary  hastened  after  his  friends  as  fast  as  he 
could  go.  Boden  and  Margery  had  much  to  say  to  each 
other  in  that  walk,  which  had  a  great  deal  about  it  to  bring 
their  thoughts  within  the  circle  of  their  own  existence.  Aa 
has  been  said,  the  fire  had  run  through  that  region  late,  and 
the  grasses  were  still  young,  offering  but  little  impediment 
to  their  movements.  As  the  day  was  now  near  its  heat,  le 
Bourdon  led  his  spirited,  but  gentle  companion,  through 
the  groves,  where  they  had  the  benefit  of  a  most  delicious 
shade,  a  relief  that  was  now  getting  to  be  very  grateful 
Twice  had  they  stopped  to  drink,  at  cool,  clear  springs,  in 
which  the  water  seemed  to  vie  with  the  air  in  transparency. 


THE    OAK     OPENINGS.  315 

As  this  is  not  the  general  character  of  the  water  of  that 
region,  though  marked  exceptions  exist,  Margery  insisted 
that  the  water  was  eastern  and  not  western  water. 

"  Why  do  we  always  think  the  things  we  had  in  child- 
nood  better  than  those  we  enjoy  afterwards  1"  asked  Mar 
gery,  after  making  one  of  these  comparisons,  somewhat  to 
the  disadvantage  of  the  part  of  the  country  in  which  she 
then  was.  "  I  can  scarce  ever  think  of  home — what  I  call 
home,  and  which  was  so  long  a  home  to  me — without  shed 
ding  tears.  Nothing  here  seems  as  good  of  its  kind  as 
what  I  have  left  behind  me.  Do  you  have  the  same  long 
ings  for  Pennsylvania,  that  I  feel  for  the  sea-coast  and  for 
the  rocks  about  duincy  ?" 

"  Sometimes.  When  I  have  been  quite  alone  for  two  or 
three  months,  I  have  fancied  that  an  apple,  or  a  potato,  or 
even  a  glass  of  the  cider  that  came  from  the  spot  where  I 
was  born,  would  be  sweeter  than  all  the  honey,  bees  ever 
gathered  in  Michigan." 

"  To  me  it  has  always  seemed  strange,  Bourdon,  that 
one  of  your  kind  feelings  should  ever  wish  to  live  alone,  at 
all;  yet  I  have  heard  you  say  that  a  love  of  solitude  first 
drew  you  to  your  trade." 

"  It  is  these  strong  cases  which  get  a  man  under,  as  it 
mi-ght  be,  and  almost  alter  his  nature.  One  man  will  pass 
his  days  in  hunting  deer ;  another  in  catching  fish  :  my 
taste  has  been  for  the  bees,  and  for  such  chances  with  other 
creatures  as  may  offer.  What  between  hunting,  and  hiving, 
and  getting  the  honey  to  market,  I  have  very  little  time  to 
long  for  company.  But  my  taste  is  altering,  Margery;  has 
altered." 

The  girl  blushed;  but  she  also  smiled,  and,  moreover, 
she  looked  pleased. 

"  I  am  afraid  that  you  are  not  as  much  altered  as  you 
think,"  she  answered,  laughingly,  however.  "  It  may  seem 
so  now ;  but  when  you  come  to  live  in  the  settlements, 
again,  you  will  get  tired  of  crowds." 

"  Then  I  will  come  with  you,  Margery,  into  these  Open 
ings,  and  we  can  live  together  here,  surely,  as  well,  or  far 
better  than  I  can  live  here  alone.  You  and  Gershom's 
wife  have  spoiled  my  housekeeping.  I  reall)  did  not  know 


316  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

until  you  came  up  here,  how  much  a  woman  can  do  in  a 
chiente  !'' 

"  Why,  Bourdon,  you  have  lived  long  enough  in  the  set 
tlements  to  know  that?" 

"  That  is  true ;  but  I  look  upon  the  settlements  as  one 
thing,  and  on  the  Openings  as  another.  What  will  do 
there  isn't  needed  here;  and  what  will  do  here  won't  an 
swer  there.  But  these  last  few  days  have  so  changed  Castle 
Meal,  that  I  hardly  know  it  myself." 

"  Perhaps  the  change  is  for  the  worse,  and  you  wish  it 
undone,  Bourdon,"  observed  the  girl,  in  the  longing  she 
had  to  hear  an  assurance  to  the  contrary,  at  the  very  mo 
ment  she  felt  certain  that  assurance  would  be  given. 

"  No,  no,  Margery.  Woman  has  taken  possession  of 
my  cabin,  and  woman  shall  now  always  command  there, 
unless  you  alter  your  mind,  and  refuse  to  have  me.  I  shall 
speak  to  the  missionary  to  marry  us,  as  soon  as  I  can  get 
him  alone.  His  mind  is  running  so  much  on  the  Jews, 
that  he  has  hardly  a  moment  left  for  us  Christians." 

The  colour  on  Margery's  cheek  was  not  lessened  by  this 
declaration;  though,  to  admit  the  truth,  she  looked  none 
the  less  pleased.  She  was  a  warm-hearted  and  generous 
girl,  and  sometimes  hesitated  about  separating  herself  and 
her  fortunes  from  those  of  Gershom  and  Dorothy ;  but  the 
bee-hunter  had  persuaded  her  this  would  be  unnecessary, 
though  she  did  accept  him  for  a  husband.  The  point  had 
been  settled  between  them  on  previous  occasions,  and  much 
conversation  had  already  passed,  in  that  very  walk,  which 
was  confined  to  that  interesting  subject.  But  Margery  was 
not  now  disposed  to  say  more,  and  she  adroitly  improved 
the  hint  thrown  out  by  Boden,  to  change  the  discourse. 

"  It  is  the  strangest  notion  I  ever  heard  of,"  she  cried, 
laughing,  "  to  believe  Injins  to  be  Jews !" 

"  He  tells  me  he  is  by  no  means  the  first  who  has  fancied 
it.  Many  writers  have  said  as  much  before  him,  and  all 
he  claims  is,  to  have  been  among  them,  and  to  have  seen 
these  Hebrews  with  his  own  eyes.  But  here  he  comes,  and 
can  answer  for  himself." 

Just  as  this  was  said,  Parson  Arnen  joined  the  party, 
Corporal  Flint  closing  to  the  front,  as  delicacy  no  longer 
required  him  to  act  as  a  rear-guard.  The  good  missionary 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  317 

came  up  a  little  heated ;  and,  in  order  that  he  might  have 
time  to  cool  himself,  the  rate  of  movement  was  slightly  re 
duced.  In  the  mean  time  the  conversation  did  not  the  less 
proceed. 

"  We  were  talking  of  the  lost  tribes,"  said  Margery, 
half  smiling  as  she  spoke,  "  and  of  your  idea,  Mr.  Amen, 
that  these  Injins  are  Jews.  It  seems  strange  to  me  that 
they  should  have  lost  so  much  of  their  ancient  ways,  and 
notions,  and  appearances,  if  they  are  really  the  people  you 
think." 

"  Lost !  It  is  rather  wonderful  that,  after  the  lapse  of 
two  thousand  years  and  more,  so  much  should  remain. 
Whichever  way  I  look,  signs  of  these  people's  origin  beset 
me.  You  have  read  your  Bible,  Margery — which  I  am 
sorry  to  say  all  on  this  frontier  have  not — but  you  have  read 
your  Bible,  and  one  can  make  an  allusion  to  you  with  some 
satisfaction.  Now,  let  me  ask  you  if  you  remember  such 
a  thing  as  the  scape-goat  of  the  ancient  Jews.  It  is  to  be 
found  in  Leviticus,  and  is  one  of  those  mysterious  customs 
with  which  that  extraordinary  book  is  full." 

"  Leviticus  is  a  book  I  never  read  but  once,  for  we  do 
not  read  it  in  our  New  England  schools.  But  I  do  re 
member  that  the  Jews  were  commanded  to  let  one  of  two 
goats  go,  from  which  practice  it  has,  I  believe,  been  called 
a  scape-goat.'* 

"  Well,"  said  le  Bourdon,  simply,  "  what  a  thing  is 
'  1'arnin !'  Now,  this  is  all  news  to  me,  though  I  have 
heard  of  '  scape-goats,'  arid  •  talked  of  '  scape-goats'  a  thou 
sand  times  !  There  's  a  meanin'  to  everything,  I  find  ;  and 
I  do  not  look  upon  this  idee  of  the  lost  tribes  as  half  as 
strange  as  I  did  before  I  1'arnt  this !" 

Margery  had  not  fallen  in  love  with  the  bee-hunter  for 
his  biblical  knowledge,  else  might  her  greater  information 
have  received  a  rude  shock  by  this  mark  of  simplicity ;  but 
instead  of  dwelling  on  this  proof  of  le  Bourdon's  want  of 
"  schooling,"  her  active  mind  was  more  disposed  to  push 
the  allusion  to  scape-goats  to  some  useful  conclusion. 

"And  what  of  the  goat,  Mr.  Amen?"  she  asked;  "  and 
how  can  it  belong  to  anything  here?" 

"  Why  were  all  those  goats  turned  into  the  woods  and 
deserts,  in  the  olden  time,  Margery?   Doubtless  to  provide 
27* 


318  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

food  for  the  ten  tribes,  when  these  should  be  driven  forth 
by  conquerors  and  hard  task-masters.  Time,  and  climate, 
and  a  difference  of  food,  has  altered  them,  as  they  have 
changed  the  Jews,  themselves,  though  they  still  retain  the 
cleft  hoof,  the  horns,  the  habits,  and  the  general  character 
istics  of  the  goats  of  Arabia.  Yes;  naturalists  will  find  in 
he  end,  that  the  varieties  of  the  deer  of  this  continent, 
particularly  the  antelope,  are  nothing  but  the  scape-goats 
of  the  ancient  world,  altered,  and  perhaps  improved  by 
circumstances." 

As  this  was  much  the  highest  flight  the  good  missionary 
had  ever  yet  taken,  not  trifling  was  the  astonishment  of  his 
young  friends,  thereat.  Touching  the  Jews,  le  Bourdon 
did  not  pretend  to,  or  in  fact  did  not  possess  much  know 
ledge  :  but,  when  the  question  was  reduced  down  to  one 
of  venison,  or  bears'  meat,  or  bisons'  humps,  with  the  ex 
ception  of  the  professed  hunters  and  trappers,  few  knew 
more  about  them  all  than  he  did  himself.  That  the  deer, 
or  even  the  antelopes  of  America  ever  had  been  goats,  he 
did  not  believe ;  nor  was  he  at  all  backward  in  letting  his 
dissent  to  such  a  theory  be  known. 

"  I  'm  sorry,  Parson  Amen,  you  've  brought  in  the  deer," 
he  cried.  "  Had  you  stuck  to  the  Jews,  I  might  have  be 
lieved  all  that  you  fancy,  in  this  business ;  but  the  deer 
have  spoiled  all.  As  for  scape-goats,  since  Margery  seems 
to  agree  with  you,  I  suppose  you  are  right  about  them, 
though  my  notion  of  such  creatures  has  been  to  keep  clear 
of  them,  instead  of  following  them  up,  as  you  seem  to  think 
these  Hebrews  have  done.  But  if  you  are  no  nearer  right 
in  your  doctrine  about  the  Injins,  than  you  are  about  their 
game,  you'll  have  to  change  your  religion." 

"Do  not  think  that  my  religion  depends  on  any  thread 
so  slight,  Bourdon.  A  man  may  be  mistaken  in  interpret 
ing  prophecy,  and  still  be  a  devout  Christian.  There  are 
more  reasons  than  you  may  at  first  suppose,  for  believing 
in  this  theory  of  the  gradual  change  of  the  goat  into  the 
deer,  and  especially  into  the  antelope.  We  do  not  any  of 
us  believe  that  Noah  had  with  him,  in  the  ark,  all  the  ani 
mals  that  are  now  to  be  found,  but  merely  the  parent-stems, 
in  each  particular  case,  which  would  be  reducing  the 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  319 

number  many  fold.  If  all  men  came  from  Adam,  Bourdon, 
who  could  not  all  deer  come  from  goats?" 

'*  Why,  this  matter  about  men  has  a  good  deal  puzzled 
me,  Parson,  and  I  hardly  know  what  answer  to  give.  Still, 
men  are  men,  wherever  you  find  them.  They  may  be 
lighter  or  darker,  taller  or  shorter,  with  hair  or  wool,  and 
yet  you  can  see  they  are  men.  Perhaps  food,  and  climate, 
and  manner  of  living,  may  have  made  all  the  changes  we 
see  in  them ;  but  Lord,  Parson,  a  goat  has  a  beard !" 

"  What  has  become  of  the  thousands  of  scape-goats  that 
the  ancient  Hebrews  must  have  turned  loose  in  the  wilder 
ness?  Answer  me  that,  Bourdon?" 

"  You  might  as  well  ask  me,  sir,  what  has  become  of  the 
thousands  of  Hebrews  who  turned  them  loose.  I  suppose 
all  must  be  dead  a  thousand  years  ago.  Scape-goats  are 
creatures  that  even  Injins  would  not  like." 

"All  this  is  a  great  mystery,  Bourdon — a  much  greater 
mystery  than  our  friend  Peter,  whom  you  have  so  often 
said  was  a  man  so  unaccountable.  By  the  way,  he  has 
given  me  a  charge  to  perform  an  office  between  you  and 
Margery,  that  I  had  almost  forgotten.  From  what  he  said 
to  me,  I  rather  think  it  may  have  some  connection  with 
our  safety.  We  have  enemies  among  these  savages,  I  feel 
very  certain;  though  I  believe  we  have  also  warm  friends." 

"But  what  have  you  in  charge  that  has  anything  to  do 
with  Bourdon  and  me?"  asked  the  wondering  Margery; 
who  was  quick  to  observe  the  connection,  though  utterly  at 
a  loss  to  comprehend  it. 

The  missionary  now  called  a  halt,  and  finding  conve* 
nient  seats,  he  gradually  opened  the  subject  with  which  he 
had  been  charged  by  Peter,  to  his  companions.  The  reader 
is  probably  prepared  to  learn  that  there  was  no  longer  any 
reserve  between  le  Bourdon  and  Margery,  on  the  subject 
of  their  future  marriage.  The  young  man  had  already 
pressed  an  immediate  union,  as  the  wisest  and  safest  course 
to  be  pursued.  Although  the  savage  American  is  little 
addicted  to  abusing  his  power  over  female  captives,  and 
seldom  takes  into  his  lodge  an  unwilling  squaw,  the  bee- 
hunter  had  experienced  a  good  deal  of  uneasiness  on  the 
score  of  what  might  befall  his  betrothed.  Margery  was 
sufficiently  beautiful  to  attract  attention,  even  in  a  town , 


320  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

and  more  than  one  fierce-looking  warrior  had  betrayed  hia 
admiration  that  very  day,  though  it  was  in  a  very  Indian* 
like  fashion.  Rhapsody,  and  gallant  speeches,  and  sonnets, 
form  no  part  of  Indian  courtship;  but  the  language  of  ad 
miration  is  so  very  universal,  through  the  eyes,  that  it  is 
sufficiently  easy  of  comprehension.  It  was  possible  that 
some  chief,  whose  band  was  too  formidable  to  be  opposed, 
might  take  it  into  his  head  to  wish  to  see  a  pale-face  squaw 
in  his  wigwam ;  and,  while  it  was  not  usual  to  do  much 
violence  to  a  female's  inclinations  on  such  occasions,  it  was 
not  common  to  offer  much  opposition  to  those  of  a  powerful 
warrior.  The  married  tie,  if  it  could  be  said  to  exist  at 
all,  however,  was  much  respected  ;  and  it  was  far  less  likely 
that  Margery,  a  wife,  would  thus  be  appropriated,  than 
Margery,  unmarried.  It  is  true,  cases  of  an  unscrupulous 
exercise  of  power  are  to  be  found  among  Indians,  as  well 
as  among  civilized  men,  but  they  are  rare,  and  usually  are 
much  condemned. 

The  bee-hunter,  consequently,  was  well  disposed  to 
second  Peter's  project.  As  for  Margery  herself,  she  had 
half  yielded  all  her  objections  to  her  lover's  unaided  argu 
ments,  and  was  partly  conquered  before  this  reinforcement 
was  brought  into  the  field  against  her.  Peter's  motive  was 
much  canvassed,  no  one  of  them  all  being  able  to  penetrate 
it.  Boden,  however,  had  his  private  opinion  on  the  sub 
ject,  nor  was  it  so  very  much  out  of  the  way.  He  fancied 
that  the  mysterious  chief  was  well  disposed  to  Margery, 
and  wished  to  put  her  as  far  as  possible  beyond  the  chances 
of  an  Indian  wigwam  :  marriage  being  the  step  of  all  others 
most  likely  to  afford  her  this  protection.  Now  this  was  not 
exactly  true,  but  it  was  right  enough  in  the  main.  Peter's 
arm  was  to  save  the  life  of  the  girl ;  her  gentle  attractions, 
and  kind  attentions  to  himself  having  wrought  this  much 
in  her  favour;  and  he  believed  no  means  of  doing  so,  as 
certain  as  forming  a  close  connection  for  her  with  the  great 
medicine  bee-hunter.  Judging  of  them  by  himself,  he  did 
not  think  the  Indians  would  dare  to  include  so  great  a 
conjurer  in  their  schemes  of  vengeance,  and  was  willing 
himself  that  le  Bourdon  should  escape,  provided  Margery 
could  go  free  and  unharmed  with  him.  As  for  the  bee- 
hunter's  powers,  he  had  many  misgivings;  they  might  be 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 


321 


dangerous  to  the  red  men,  and  they  might  not.  On  this 
subject,  he  was  in  the  painful  doubts  of  ignorance,  and  had 
the  wide  area  of  conjecture  open  before  his  mind.  He 
saw;  but  it  was  "  as  in  a  glass,  darkly." 

Margery  was  disposed  to  delay  the  ceremony,  at  least 
until  her  brother  and  sister  might  be  present.  But  to  this 
le  Bourdon  himself  was  not  mnrh  inclined.  It  had  struck 
him  that  Gershom  was  opposed  to  an  early  marriage,  most 
probably  because  he  fancied  himself  more  secure  of  the 
bee-hunter's  ingenious  and  important  aid  in  getting  back 
to  the  settlements,  so  long  as  this  strong  inducement  existed 
to  cling  to  himself,  than  if  he  should  release  his  own  hold 
of  Margery,  by  giving  her  at  once  to  her  lover.  Right  or 
wrong,  such  was  the  impression  taken  up  by  le  Bourdon, 
and  he  was  glad  when  the  missionary  urged  his  request  to 
be  permitted  to  pronounce  the  nuptial  benediction  on  the 
spot. 

Little  ceremony  is  generally  used  in  an  American  mar 
riage.  In  a  vast  many  cases  no  clergyman  is  employed  at 
all;  and  where  there  is,  most  of  the  sects  have  no  ring,  no 
giving  away,  nor  any  of  those  observances  which  were  prac 
tised  in  the  churches  of  old.  There  existed  no  impediment, 
therefore;  and,  after  a  decent  interval  spent  in  persuasions, 
Margery  consented  to  plight  her  vows  to  the  man  of  her 
heart  before  they  left  the  spot.  She  would  fain  Ijave  had 
Dorothy  present,  for  woman  loves  to  lean  on  her  own  sex 
on  such  occasions,  but  submitted  to  the  necessity  of  pro 
ceeding  at  once,  as  the  bee-hunter  and  the  missionary  chose 
to  term  it. 

A  better  altnr  could  not  have  been  selected  in  all  that 
vast  region.  It  was  one  of  nature's  own  erecting;  and  le 
Bourdon  and  his  pretty  bride  placed  themselves  before  it, 
with  feelings  suited  to  the  solemnity  of  the  occasion.  The 
good  missionary  stood  within  the  shade  of  a  burr  oak, 
in  the  centre  of  those  park-like  Openings,  every  object 
looking  fresh,  and  smiling,  and  beautiful.  The  sward  was 
green,  and  short  as  that  of  a  well-tendec1  lawn;  the  flowers 
were,  like  the  bride  herself,  soft,  modest,  and  sweet;  while 
charming  rural  vistas  stretched  through  the  trees,  much  as 
if  art  had  been  summoned  in  aid  of  the  great  mistress  who 
had  designed  the  landscape.  When  the  parties  knelt  in 


322  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

prayer  which  all  present  did,  not  excepting  the  worthy 
corporal,  it  was  on  the  verdant  ground,  with  first  thp 
branches  of  the  trees,  and  then  the  deep,  fathomless  vault 
of  heaven  for  a  canopy.  In  this  manner  was  the  marriage 
benediction  pronounced  on  the  bee-hunter  and  Margery 
Waring,  in  the  venerable  Oak  Openings.  No  Gothic 
structure,  with  its  fretted  aisles  and  clustered  columns, 
could  have  been  one  half  as  appropriate  for  the  union  of 
such  a  couple. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

No  shrift  the  gloomy  savage  brooks, 
As  scowling  on  the  priest  he  looks; 
Cowesass — cowesass — tawhich  wessasseen  ? 
Let  my  father  look  on  Bornazeen — 
My  father's  heart  is  the  heart  of  a  squaw, 
But  mine  is  so  hard  that  it  does  not  thaw. 

WHITTIER. 

LEAVING  the  newly-married  couple  to  pursue  their  way 
homeward,  it  is  now  our  province  to  return  to  Prairie 
Round.  One  accustomed  to  such  scenes  would  easily  have 
detected  the  signs  of  divided  opinions  and  of  agitating 
doubts  among  the  chiefs,  though  nothing  like  contention 
or  dispute  had  yet  manifested  itself.  Peter's  control  was 
still  in  the  ascendant,  and  he  had  neglected  none  of  his 
usual  means  of  securing  influence.  Perhaps  he  laboured 
so  much  the  harder,  from  the  circumstance  that  he  now 
found  himself  so  situated,  as  to  be  compelled  to  nndo  much 
that  he  had  previously  done. 

On  the  other  hand,  Ungque  appeared  to  have  no  parti 
cular  cause  of  concern.  His  manner  was  as  much  unoc 
cupied  as  usual ;  and  to  his  habit  of  referring  all  his  in 
fluence  to  sudden  and  powerful  bursts  of  eloquence,  if  de 
sign  of  any  sort  was  entertained,  he  left  his  success. 

We  pass  over  the  details  of  assembling  the  council.  The 
spot  was  not  exactly  on  the  prairie,  but  in  a  bit  of  lovely 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  323 

"  Opening"  on  its  margin,  where  the  eye  could  roam  over 
a  wide  extent  of  that  peculiar  natural  meadow,  while  the 
body  enjoyed  the  shades  of  the  wood.  The  chiefs  alone 
were  in  the  circle,  while  the  "  braves"  and  the  "  young 
men"  generally  formed  a  group  on  the  outside  ;  near  enough 
to  hear  what  passed,  and  to  profit  by  it,  if  so  disposed. 
The  pjpe  was  smoked,  and  all  the  ordinary  customs  ob 
served,  when  Bear's  Meat  arose,  the  first  speaker  on  that 
momentous  occasion. 

"  Brothers,"  he  said,  "  this  is  the  great  council  on  Prai 
rie  Round  to  which  we  have  been  called.  We  have  met 
before,  but  not  here.  This  is  our  first  meeting  here.  We 
have  travelled  a  long  path  to  get  here.  Some  of  our  bre 
thren  have  travelled  farther.  They  are  at  Detroit.  They 
went  there  to  meet  our  great  Canada  Father,  and  to  take 
Yankee  scalps.  How  many  scalps  they  have  taken  I  do 
not  know,  or  I  would  tell  you.  It  is  pleasant  to  me  to 
count  Yankee  scalps.  I  would  rather  count  them,  than 
count  the  scalps  of  red  men.  There  are  still  a  great  many 
left.  The  Yankees  are  many,  and  each  Yankee  has  a 
scalp.  There  should  not  be  so  many.  When  the  buffa 
loes  came  in  the  largest  droves,  our  fathers  used  to  go  out 
to  hunt  them  in  the  strongest  parties.  Their  sons  should 
do  the  same.  We  are  the  sons  of  those  fathers.  They 
say  we  look  like  them,  talk  like  them,  live  like  them — we 
should  act  like  them.  Let  another  speak,  for  I  have  done." 

After  this  brief  address,  which  bore  some  resemblance 
to  a  chairman's  calling  a  meeting  of  civilized  men  to  order, 
there  was  more  smoking.  It  was  fully  expected  that  Peter 
would  next  arise,  but  he  did  not.  Perceiving  this,  and 
willing  to  allow  time  to  that  great  chief  to  arrange  his 
thoughts,  Crowsfeather  assumed  the  office  of  filling  the 
gap.  He  was  far  more  of  a  warrior  than  of  an  orator,  and 
was  listened  to  respectfully,  but  less  for  what  he  said,  than 
for  what  he  had  done.  A  good  deal  of  Indian  boasting, 
quite  naturally,  was  blended  with  his  discourse. 

"  My  brother  has  told  you  of  the  Yankee  scalps,"  he 
commenced.  "  He  says  they  are  many.  He  says  there 
ought  to  be  fewer.  He  did  not  remember  who  sat  so  near 
him.  Perhaps  he  does  not  know  that  are  three  less  now 
than  there  were  a  moon  since.  Crowsfeather  took  three 


324  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

at  Chicago.  Many  scalps  were  taken  there.  The  Yankees 
must  be  plentier  than  the  buffaloes  on  the  great  prairies,  if 
they  can  lose  so  many. scalps  often,  and  send  forth  their 
warriors.  I  am  a  Pottawattarnie.  My  brothers  know  that 
tribe.  It  is  not  a  tribe  of  Jews,  but  a  tribe  of  Injins.  It 
is  a  great  tribe.  It  never  was  lost.  It  cannot  be  lost.  No 
tribe  better  knows  all  the  paths,  and  all  the  best  routes  to 
every  point  where  it  wishes  to  go.  It  is  foolish  to  say  you 
can  lose  a  Pottawattamie.  A  duck  would  be  as  likely  to 
lose  itself,  as  a  Pottawattamie.  I  do  not  speak  for  the  Ot- 
tawas ;  I  speak  for  the  Pottawattamies.  We  are  not  Jews. 
We  do  not  wish  to  be  Jews;  and  what  we  do  not  wish  to 
be,  we  will  not  be.  Our  father  who  has  come  so  far  to  tell 
us  that  we  are  not  Injins,  but  Jews,  is  mistaken.  I  never 
heard  of  these  Jews  before.  I  do  not  wish  to  hear  of  them 
again.  When  a  man  has  heard  enough,  he  does  not  keep 
his  ears  open  willingly.  It  is  then  best  for  the  speaker  to 
sit  down.  The  Pottawattamies  have  shut  their  ears  to  the 
great  medicine-priest  of  the  pale-faces.  What  he  says  may 
be  true  of  other  tribes,  but  it  is  not  true  of  the  Pottawat 
tamies.  We  are  not  lost ;  we  are  not  Jews.  I  have  done." 

This  speech  was  received  with  general  favour.  The 
notion  that  the  Indians  were  not  Indians,  but  Jews,  was  far 
from  being  agreeable  to  those  who  had  heard  what  had  been 
said  on  the  subject ;  and  the  opinions  of  Crowsfeather  pos 
sessed  the  great  advantage  of  reflecting  the  common  senti 
ment  on  this  interesting  subject.  When  this  is  the  case,  a 
very  little  eloquence  or  logic  goes  a  great  way ;  and,  on  the 
whole,  the  address  of  the  last  speaker  was  somewhat  better 
received  than  that  of  the  first. 

It  was  now  confidently  believed  that  Peter  would  rise. 
But  he  did  not.  That  mysterious  chief  was  not  yet  pre 
pared  to  speak,  or  he  was  judiciously  exciting  expectation 
by  keeping  back.  There  were  at  least  ten  minutes  of  silent 
smoking,  ere  a  chief,  whose  name  rendered  into  English 
was  Bough  of  the  Oak,  arose,  evidently  with  a  desire  to 
help  the  time  along.  Taking  his  cue  from  the  success  of 
Crowsfeather,  he  followed  up  the  advantage  obtained  by 
that  chief,  assailing  the  theory  of  the  missionary  from  an 
other  quarter. 

"  I  am  an  Injin,"  said  Bough  of  the  Oak ;  "  my  father 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  325 

was  an  Injin,  and  my  mother  was  the  daughter  of  an  Injin. 
All  my  fathers  were  red  men,  and  all  their  sons.  Why 
should  I  wish  to  be  anything  else?  I  asked  my  brother, 
the  medicine-priest,  and  he  owned  that  Jews  are  pale-faces. 
This  he  should  not  have  owned  if  he  wished  the  Injins  to 
be  Jews.  My  skin  is  red.  The  Manitou  of  my  fathers  so 
painted  it,  and  their  child  will  not  try  to  wash  out  the  co 
lour.  Were  the  colour  washed  out  of  my  face,  I  should  be 
a  pale-face !  There  would  not  be  paint  enough  to  hide  my 
shame.  No;  I  was  born  red,  and  will  die  a  red-man.  It 
is  not  good  to  have  two  faces.  An  Injin  is  not  a  snake,  to 
cast  his  skin.  The  skin  in  which  he  was  born  he  keeps. 
He  plays  in  it  when  a  child ;  he  goes  in  it  to  his  first  hunt : 
the  bears  and  the  deer  know  him  by  it;  he  carries  it  with 
him  on  the  war-path,  and  his  enemies  tremble  at  the  sight 
of  it;  his  squaw  knows  him  by  that  skin  when  he  comes 
back  to  his  wigwam;  and  when  he  dies,  he  is  put  aside  in 
the  same  skin  in  which  he  was  born.  There  is  but  one 
skin,  ana1  it  has  but  one  colour.  At  first,  it  is  little.  The 
pappoose  that  wears  it  is  little.  There  is  no  need  of  a  large 
skin.  But  it  grows  with  the  pappoose,  and  the  biggest 
warrior  finds  his  skin  around  him.  This  is  because  the 
Great  Spirit  fitted  it  to  him.  Whatever  the  Manitou  does 
is  good. 

"My  brothers  have  squaws  —  they  have  pappooses. — 
When  the  pappoose  is  put  into  their  arms,  do  they  get  the 
paint-stones  and  paint  it  red  1  They  do  not.  It  is  not  ne 
cessary.  The  Manitou  painted  it  red  before  it  was  born. 
How  this  was  done  I  do  not  know.  I  am  nothing  but  a 
poor  Injin,  and  only  know  what  I  see.  I  have  seen  that 
the  pappooses  are  red  when  they  are  born,  and  that  the 
warriors  are  red  when  they  die.  They  are  also  red  while 
living.  It  is  enough.  Their  fathers  could  never  have  been 
pale-faces,  or  we  should  find  some  white  spots  on  their 
children.  There  are  none. 

"  Crowsfeather  has  spoken  of  the  Jews  as  lost.  I  am  not 
surprised  to  hear  it.  It  seems  to  me  that  all  pale-faces  get 
lost.  They  wander  from  their  own  hunting-ground?,  into 
those  of  other  people.  It  is  not  so  with  Injins.  The  Pot- 
tawattamie  does  not  kill  the  deer  of  the  Iowa,  nor  the  Ot- 
28 


326  THE     OAK     OPENINGS 

tawa  the  deer  of  the  Menomenees.  Each  tribe  Knows  its 
own  game  This  is  because  they  are  not  lost.  My  pale 
face  father  appears  to  wish  us  well.  He  has  come  on  a  long 
and  weary  path,  to  tell  us  about  his  Mariitou.  For  this  I 
thank  him.  I  thank  all  who  wish  to  do  me  good.  Them 
that  wish  to  do  me  harm  I  strike  from  behind.  It  is  our 
Injin  G-dstom.  I  do  not  wish  to  hurt  the  medicine-priest, 
because  I  think  he  wishes  to  do  me  good,  and  not  to  do 
me  harm.  He  has  a  strange  law.  It  is  to  do  good  to  them 
that  do  harm  to  you.  It  is  not  the  law  of  the  red  men. 
It  is  not  a  good  law.  I  do  not  wonder  that  the  tribes  which 
follow  such  a  law  get  lost.  They  cannot  tell  their  friends 
from  their  enemies.  They  can  have  no  people  to  scalp. 
What  is  a  warrior  if  he  cannot  find  some  one  to  scalp  1 
No ;  such  a  law  would  make  women  of  the  bravest  braves 
in  the  openings,  or  on  the  prairie.  It  may  be  a  good  law 
for  Jews,  who  get  lost;  but  it  is  a  bad  law  for  Injins,  who 
know  the  paths  they  travel.  Let  another  speak." 

This  brief  profession  of  faith,  on  the  subject  that  had 
been  so  recently  broached  in  the  council,  seemed  to  give 
infinite  satisfaction.  All  present  evidently  preferred  being 
red  men,  who  knew  where  they  were,  than  to  be  pale-faces 
who  had  lost  their  road.  Ignorance  of  his  path  is  a  spe 
cies  of  disgrace  to  an  American  savage,  and  not  a  man 
there  would  have  confessed  that  his  particular  division  of 
the  great  human  family  was  in  that  dilemma.  The  idea 
that  the  Yankees  were  "  lost,"  and  had  got  materially 
astray,  was  very  grateful  to  most  who  heard  it ;  and  Bough 
of  the  Oak  gained  a  considerable  reputation  as  an  orator, 
in  consequence  of  the  lucky  hits  made  on  this  occasion. 

Another  long,  ruminating  pause,  and  much  passing  of 
the  pipe  of  peace  succeeded.  It  was  near  half  an  hour 
after  the  last  speaker  had  resumed  his  seat,  ere  Peter  stood 
erect.  In  that  long  interval  expectation  had  time  to  increase, 
and  curiosity  to  augment  itself.  Nothing  but  a  very  great 
event  could  cause  this  pondering,  this  deliberation,  and 
this  unwillingness  to  begin.  When,  however,  the  time  did 
come  for  the  mysterious  chief  to  speak,  the  man  of  many 
scalps  to  open  his  mouth,  profound  was  the  attention  that 
prevailed  among  all  present.  Even  after  he  had  arisen,  the 
orator  stood  silently  looking  around  him,  as  if  the  throe* 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  327 

of  his  thoughts  had  to  be  a  little  suppressed,  before  he 
could  (rust  his  tongue  to  give  them  utterance. 

"What  is  the  earth?"  commenced  Peter,  in  a  deep, 
guttural  tone  of  voice,  which  the  death-like  stillness  ren 
dered  audible  even  to  the  outermost  boundaries  of  the  circle 
of  admiring  and  curious  countenances.  "  It  is  one  plain, 
adjoining  another;  river  after  river;  lake  after  lake;  prai 
rie  touching  prairie ;  and  pleasant  woods,  that  seem  to  have 
no  limits,  all  given  to  men  to  dwell  in.  It  would  seem  that 
the  Great  Spirit  parcelled  out  this  rich  possession  into 
hunting-grounds  for  all.  He  coloured  men  differently. 
His  dearest  children  he  painted  red,  which  is  his  own 
colour.  Them  that  he  loved  less  he  coloured  less,  and 
they  have  red  only  in  spots.  Them  he  loved  least  he  dipped 
in  a  dark  dye,  and  left  them  black.  These  are  the  colours 
of  men.  If  there  are  more,  I  have  not  seen  them.  Some 
say  there  are.  I  shall  think  so,  too,  when  I  see  them. 

"  Brothers,  this  talk  about  lost  tribes  is  a  foolish  talk. 
We  are  not  lost.  We  know  where  we  are,  and  we  know 
where  the  Yankees  have  come  to  seek  us.  My  brother  has 
well  spoken.  If  any  are  lost,  it  is  the  Yankees.  The  Yankees 
are  Jews,  they  are  lost.  The  time  is  near  when  they  will 
be  found,  and  when  they  will  again  turn  their  eyes  towards 
the  rising  sun.  They  have  looked  so  long  towards  the 
setting  sun,  that  they  cannot  see  clearly.  It  is  not  good 
to  look  too  long  at  the  same  object.  The  Yankees  have 
looked  at  our  hunting-grounds  until  their  eyes  are  dim. 
They  see  the  hunting-grounds,  but  they  do  not  see  all  the 
warriors  that  are  in  them.  In  time,  they  will  learn  to  count 
them. 

"  Brothers,  when  the  Great  Spirit  made  man,  he  put  him 
to  live  on  the  earth.  Our  traditions  do  not  agree  in  saying 
of  what  he  was  made.  Some  say  it  was  of  clay,  and  that 
when  his  spirit  starts  for  the  happy  hunting-grounds,  his 
body  becomes  clay  again.  I  do  not  say  that  this  is  so,  for 
I  do  not  know.  It  is  not  good  to  say  that  which  we  do 
not  know  to  be  true.  I  wish  to  speak  only  the  truth.  This 
we  do  know.  If  a  warrior  die,  and  we  put  him  in  the 
earth,  and  come  to  look  for  him  many  years  afterwards, 
nothing  but  bones  are  found.  All  else  is  gone.  I  have 
heard  old  men  saji  that,  in  time,  even  these  bones  are  not 


328  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

to  be  found.  It  is  so  with  trees;  it  may  be  so  with  men. 
But  it  is  not  so  with  hunting  grounds.  They  were  made 
to  last  for  ever. 

"  Brothers,  you  know  why  we  have  come  together  on  this 
prairie.  It  was  to  count  the  pale-faces,  and  to  think  of  the 
way  of  making  their  number  less.  Now  is  a  good  time  for 
such  a  thing.  They -have  dug  up  the  hatchet  against  each 
other;  and  when  we  hear  of  scalps  taken  among  them,  it 
is  good  for  the  red  men.  I  do  not  think  our  Canada  Father 
is  more  our  friend  than  the  great  Yankee,  Uncle  Sam.  It 
is  true,  he  gives  us  more  powder,  and  blankets,  and  toma 
hawks,  and  rifles  than  the  Yankee,  but  it  is  to  get  us  to 
fight  his  battles.  We  will  fight  his  battles.  They  are  our 
battles,  too.  For  this  reason  we  will  fight  his  enemies. 

"Brothers,  it  is  time  to  think  of  our  children.  A  wise 
chief  once  told  me  how  many  winters  it  is  since  a  pale-face 
was  first  seen  among  red  men.  It  was  not  a  great  while 
ago.  Injins  are  living  who  have  seen  Injins,  whose  own 
fathers  saw  them  first  pale-faces.  They  were  few.  They 
were  like  little  children,  then ;  but  now  they  are  grown  to 
be  men.  Medicine-men  are  plenty  among  them,  and  tell 
them  how  to  raise  children.  The  Injins  do  not  understand 
this.  Small-pox,  fire-water,  bad  hunting,  and  frosts,  keep 
us  poor,  and  keep  our  children  from  growing  as  fast  as  the 
children  of  the  pale-faces. 

"  Brothers,  all  this  has  happened  within  the  lives  of  three 
aged  chiefs.  One  told  to  another,  and  he  told  it  to  a  third. 
Three  chiefs  have  kept  that  tradition.  They  have  given  it 
to  me.  I  have  cut  notches  on  this  stick  (holding  up  a 
piece  of  ash,  neatly  trimmed,  as  a  record,)  for  the  winters 
they  told  me,  and  every  winter  since  I  have  cut  one  more. 
See ;  there  are  not  many  notches.  Some  of  our  people  say 
that  the  pale-faces  are  already  plentier  than  leaves  on  the 
trees.  I  do  not  believe  this.  These  notches  tell  us  differ 
ently.  It  is  true  the  pale-faces  grow  fast,  and  have  many 
children,  and  small-pox  does  not  kill  many  of  them,  and 
their  wars  are  few ;  but,  look  at  this  stick.  Could  a  canoe- 
full  of  men  become  as  many  as  they  say,  in  so  few  winters  t 
No ;  it  is  not  so.  The  stories  we  have  heard  are  not  true. 
A  crooked  tongue  first  told  them.  We  are  strong  enough 
still  to  drive  these  strangers  into  the  great  salt  lake,  and 


THE     OAK    OPENINGS.  329 

get  back  all  our  hunting-grounds.  This  is  what  I  wish  to 
nave  done. 

"  Brothers,  I  have  taken  many  scalps.  This  stick  will 
tell  the  number."  Here  one  of  those  terrible  gleams  of 
ferocity  to  which  we  have  before  alluded,  passed  athwart 
the  dark  countenance  of  the  speaker,  causing  all  present 
to  feel  a  deeper  sympathy  in  the  thoughts  he  would  express. 
"  There  are  many.  Every  one  has  come  from  the  head  of 
a  pale-face.  It  is  now  twenty  winters  since  I  took  the  scalp 
of  a  red  man.  I  shall  never  take  another.  We  want  all 
of  our  own  warriors,  to  drive  back  the  strangers. 

"  Brothers,  some  Injins  tell  us  of  different  tribes.  They 
talk  about  distant  tribes,  as  strangers.  1  tell  you  we  are 
all  children  of  the  same  father.  All  our  skins  are  red. 
I  see  no  difference  between  an  Ojebway,  and  a  Sac,  or  a 
Sioux.  I  love  even  a  Cherokee."  Here  very  decided 
signs  of  dissatisfaction  were  manifested  by  several  of  the 
listeners;  parties  of  the  tribes  of  the  great  lakes  having 
actually  marched  as  far  as  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  to  make  war 
on  the  Indians  of  that  region,  who  were  generally  hated  by 
them  with  the  most  intense  hatred.  "  He  has  the  blood  of 
our  fathers  in  him.  We  are  brothers,  and  should  live  toge 
ther  as  brothers.  If  we  want  scalps,  the  pale-faces  have 
plenty.  It  is  sweet  to  take  the  scalp  of  a  pale-face.  1 
know  it.  My  hand  has  done  it  often,  and  will  do  it  again. 
If  every  Injin  had  taken  as  many  scalps  as  I  have  taken, 
few  of  these  strangers  would  now  remain. 

"  Brothers,  one  thing  more  I  have  to  say.  I  wish  to  hear 
others,  and  will  not  tell  all  I  know,  this  time.  One  thing 
more  I  have  to  say,  and  1  now  say  it.  I  have  told  you  that 
we  must  take  the  scalps  of  all  the  pale-faces  who  are  now 
near  us.  I  thought  there  would  have  been  more,  but  the 
rest  do  not  come.  Perhaps  they  are  frightened.  There 
are  only  six.  Six  scalps  are  not  many.  I  am  sorry  they 
are  so  few.  But  we  can  go  where  there  will  be  more.  One 
of  these  six  is  a  medicine-man.  I  do  not  know  what  to 
think.  It  may  be  good  to  take  his  scalp.  It  may  be  bad. 
Medicine-men  have  great  power.  You  have  seen  what  this 
bee-hunter  can  do.  He  knows  how  to  talk  with  bees. 
Them  little  insects  can  fly  into  small  places,  and  see  things 
that  Injins  cannot  see.  The  Great  Spirit  made  them  so. 
28* 


330  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

When  we  get  back  all  the  land,  we  shall  get  the  bees  with 
it,  and  may  then  hold  a  council  to  say  what  it  is  best  to  do 
with  them.  Until  we  know  more.  I  do  not  wish  to  touch 
the  scalp  of  that  bee-hunter.  It  may  do  us  great  harm.  I 
knew  a  medicine-man  of  the  pale-faces  to  lose  his  scalp, 
and  small-pox  took  off  half  the  band  that  made  him  pri 
soner,  and  killed  him.  It  is  not  good  to  meddle  with  me- 
dicine-rnen.  A  few  days  ago,  and  I  wanted  this  young 
man's  scalp,  very  much.  Now,  I  do  not  want  it.  It  may 
do  us  harm  to  touch  it.  I  wish  to  let  him  go,  and  to  take 
his  squaw  with  him.  The  rest  we  can  scalp." 

Peter  cunningly  made  no  allusion  to  Margery,  until  just 
before  he  resumed  his  seat,  though  now  deeply  interested 
in  her  safety.  As  for  le  Bourdon,  so  profound  was  the  im 
pression  he  had  made  that  morning,  that  few  of  the  chiefs 
were  surprised  at  the  exemption  proposed  in  his  favour. 
The  superstitious  dread  of  witchcraft  is  very  general  among 
the  American  savages;  and  it  certainly  did  seem  to  be 
hazardous  to  plot  the  death  of  a  man,  who  had  even  the 
bees  that  were  humming  on  all -sides  of  them,  under  his 
control.  He  might  at  that  very  moment  be  acquainted 
with  all  that  was  passing ;  and  several  of  the  grim-looking 
and  veteran  warriors  who  sat  in  the  circle,  and  who  ap 
peared  to  be  men  able  and  willing  to  encounter  aught  hu 
man,  did  not  fail  to  remember  the  probability  of  a  medi 
cine-man's  knowing  who  were  his  friends,  and  who  his 
enemies. 

When  Peter  sat  down,  there  was  but  one  man  in  the 
circle  of  chiefs  who  was  resolved  to  oppose  his  design  of 
placing  Boden  and  Margery  without  the  pale  of  the  con 
demned.  Several  were  undecided,  scarce  knowing  what 
to  think  of  so  sudden  and  strange  a  proposition,  but  could 
not  be  said  to  have  absolutely  adhered  to  the  original 
scheme  of  cutting  off  all.  The  exception  was  Ungque. 
This  man — a  chief  by  a  sort  of  sufferance,  rather  than  as 
a  right — was  deadly  hostile  to  Peter's  influence,  as  has  been 
said,  and  was  inclined  to  oppose  all  his  plans,  though  com 
pelled  by  policy  to  be  exceedingly  cautious  how  he  did  it. 
Here,  however,  was  an  excellent  opportunity  to  strike  a 
blow,  and  he  was  determined  not  to  neglect  it.  Still,  so 
wily  was  this  Indian,  so  much  accustomed  to  put  a  restraint 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  331 

on  his  passions  and  wishes,  that  he  did  not  immediately 
arise,  with  the  impetuous  ardour  of  frank  impulses,  to  make 
his  reply,  but  awaited  his  time. 

An  Indian  is  but  a  man,  after  all,  and  is  liable  to  his 
weaknesses,  notwithstanding  the  self-cornmand  he  obtains 
by  severe  drilling.  Bough  of  the  Oak  was  to  supply 
a  proof  of  this  truth.  He  had  been  so  unexpectedly  suc 
cessful  in  his  late  attempt  at  eloquence,  that  it  was  not  easy 
to  keep  him  off  his  feet,  now  that  another  good  occasion 
to  exhibit  his  powers  offered.  He  was  accordingly  the  next 
to  speak. 

"  My  brothers,"  said  Bough  of  the  Oak,  "  I  am  named 
after  a  tree.  You  all  know  that  tree.  It  is  not  good  for 
bows  or  arrows ;  it  is  not  good  for  canoes ;  it  does  not  make 
the  best  fire,  though  it  will  burn,  and  is  hot  when  well 
lighted.  There  are  many  things  for  which  the  tree  after 
which  I  am  named  is  not  good.  It  is  not  good  to  eat.  It 
has  no  sap,  that  Injins  can  drink,  like  the  maple.  It  does 
not  make  good  brooms.  But  it  has  branches  like  other 
trees,  and  they  are  tough.  Tough  branches  are  good. 
The  boughs  of  the  oak  will  not  bend,  like  the  boughs  of 
the  willow,  or  the  boughs  of  the  ash,  or  the  boughs  of  the 
hickory. 

"  Brothers,  I  am  a  bough  of  the  oak.  I  do  not  like  to 
bend.  When  my  mind  is  made  up,  I  wish  to  keep  it  where 
it  was  first  put.  My  mind  has  been  made  up  to  take  the 
scalps  of  all  the  pale-faces  who  are  now  in  the  Openings. 
I  do  not  want  to  change  it.  My  mind  can  break,  but  it 
cannot  bend.  It  is  tough." 

Having  uttered  this  brief  but  sententious  account  of  his 
view  of  the  matter  at  issue,  the  chief  resumed  his  seat, 
reasonably  well  satisfied  with  this  his  second  attempt  to  be 
eloquent  that  day.  His  success  this  time  was  not  as  un 
equivocal  as  on  the  former  occasion,  but  it  was  respectable. 
Several  of  the  chiefs  saw  a  reasonable,  if  not  a  very  logical 
analogy,  between  a  man's  name  and  his  mind;  and  to  them 
it  appeared  a  tolerably  fair  inference  that  a  man  should  act 
up  to  his  name.  If  his  name  was  tough,  he  ought  to  be 
tough,  too.  In  this  it  does  not  strike  us  that  they  argued 
very  differently  from  civiliaed  beings,  who  are  only  too  apt 
to  do  that  which  their  better  judgments  really  condemn, 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

because  they  think  they  are  acting  "  in  character,"  as  it  is 
termed. 

Ungque  was  both  surprised  and  delighted  with  this  un 
expected  support  from  Bough  of  the  Oak.  He  knew 
enough  of  human  nature  to  understand,  that  a  new-bom 
ambition,  that  of  talking  against  the  great,  mysterious 
chief,  Peter,  was  at  the  bottom  of  this  unexpected  opposi 
tion  ;  but  with  this  he  was  pleased,  rather  than  otherwise 
An  opposition  that  is  founded  in  reason,  may  always  be 
reasoned  down,  if  reasons  exist  therefor;  but  an  opposi 
tion  that  has  its  rise  in  any  of  the  passions,  is  usually  some 
what  stubborn.  All  this  the  mean-looking  chief,  or  The 
Weasel,  understood  perfectly,  and  appreciated  highly.  He 
thought  the  moment  favourable,  and  was  disposed  to  "  strike 
while  the  iron  was  hot."  Rising  after  a  decent  interval 
had  elapsed,  this  wily  Indian  looked  about  him,  as  if  awed 
by  the  presence  in  which  he  stood,  and  doubtful  whether 
he  could  venture  to  utter  his  thoughts  before  so  many  wise 
chiefs.  Having  made  an  impression  by  this  air  of  diffi 
dence,  he  commenced  his  harangue. 

"  I  am  called  The  Weasel,"  he  said,  modestly.  "  My 
name  is  not  taken  from  the  mightiest  tree  of  the  forest,  like 
that  of  my  brother ;  it  is  taken  from  a  sort  of  rat — an  ani 
mal  that  lives  by  its  wits.  I  am  well  named.  When  my 
tribe  gave  me  that  name,  it  was  just.  All  Injins  have 
not  names.  My  great  brother,  who  told  us  once  that  we 
ought  to  take  the  scalp  of  every  white  man,  but  who  now 
tells  us  that  we  ought  not  to  take  the  scalp  of  every  white 
man,  has  no  name.  He  is  called  Peter,  by  the  pale-faces. 
It  is  a  good  name.  But  it  is  a  pale-face  name.  I  wish  we 
knew  the  real  name  of  my  brother.  We  do  not  know  his 
nation  or  his  tribe.  Some  say  he  is  an  Ottawa,  some  an 
Iowa,  some  even  think  him  a  Sioux.  1  have  heard  he 
was  a  Delaware,  from  towards  the  rising  sun.  Some,  but 
they  must  be  Injins  with  forked  tongues,  think  and  say  he 
is  a  Cherokee !  I  do  not  believe  this.  It  is  a  lie.  It  \a 
said  to  do  my  brother  harm.  Wicked  Injins  will  say  such 
things.  But  we  do  not  mind  what  they  say.  It  is  not 
necessary. 

"My  brothers,  I  wish  we  knew  the  tribe  of  this  great 
chief,  who  tells  us  to  take  scalps,  and  then  tells  us  not  to 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 


333 


take  scalps.  Then  we  might  understand  why  he  has  told 
us  two  stories.  I  believe  all  he  says,  but  I  should  like  to 
know  why  I  believe  it.  It  is  good  to  know  why  we  believe 
things.  I  have  heard  what  my  brother  has  said  about  let 
ting  this  bee-hunter  go  to  his  own  people,  but  I  do  not 
know  why  he  believes  this  is  best.  It  is  because  I  am  a 
poor  Injin,  perhaps;  and  because  I  am  called  The  Weasel. 
I  am  an  animal  that  creeps  through  small  holes.  That  is 
my  nature.  The  bison  jumps  through  open  prairies,  and 
a  horse  is  wanted  to  catch  him.  It  is  not  so  with  the 
weasel;  he  creeps  through  small  holes.  But  he  always 
looks  where  he  goes. 

"  The  unknown  chief,  who  belongs  to  no  tribe,  talks  of 
this  bee-hunter's  squaw.  He  is  afraid  of  so  great  a  medi 
cine-man,  and  wishes  him  to  go,  and  take  all  in  his  wigwarn 
with  him.  He  has  no  squaw.  There  is  a  young  squaw  in 
his  lodge,  but  she  is  not  his  squaw.  There  is  no  need  of 
letting  her  go,  on  his  account.  If  we  take  her  scalp,  he 
cannot  hurt  us.  In  that,  my  brother  is  wrong.  The  bees 
have  buzzed  too  near  his  ears.  Weasels  can  hear,  as  well 
as  other  animals ;  and  I  have  heard  that  this  young  squaw 
is  not  this  bee-hunter's  squaw. 

"  If  Injins  are  to  take  the  scalps  of  all  the  pale-faces, 
why  should  we  not  begin  with  these  who  are  in  our  hands. 
When  the  knife  is  ready,  and  the  head  is  ready,  nothing 
but  the  hand  is  wanting.  Plenty  of  hands  are  ready,  too; 
and  it  does  not  seem  good  to  the  eyes  of  a  poor,  miserable 
weasel,  who  has  to  creep  through  very  small  holes  to  catch 
his  game,  to  let  that  game  go  when  it  is  taken.  If  my 
great  brother,  who  has  told  us  not  to  scalp  this  bee-hunter 
and  her  he  calls  his  squaw,  will  tell  us  the  name  of  his  tribe, 
I  shall  be  glad.  1  am  an  ignorant  Injin,  and  like  to  learn 
all  I  can ;  I  wish  to  learn  that.  Perhaps  it  will  help  us  to 
understand  why  he  gave  one  counsel  yesterday,  and  another 
to-day.  There  is  a  reason  for  it.  1  wish  to  know  what  it 
is." 

Ungque  now  slowly  seated  himself.  He  had  spoken 
with  great  moderation,  as  to  manner ;  and  with  such  an  air 
of  humility  as  one  of  our  own  demagogues  is  apt  to  as 
sume,  when  he  tells  the  people  of  their  virtues,  and  seems 
to  lament  the  whole  time  that  he,  himself,  was  one  of  the 


334  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

meanest  of  the  great  human  family.  Peter  saw,  at  once, 
that  he  had  a  cunning  competitor,  and  had  a  little  difficulty 
in  suppressing  all  exhibition  of  the  fiery  indignation  he 
actually  felt,  at  meeting  opposition  in  such  a  quarter.  Peter 
was  artful,  and  practised  in  all  the  wiles  of  managing  men, 
but  he  submitted  to  use  his  means  to  attain  a  great  end. 
The  virtual  extinction  of  the  white  race  was  his  object, 
and  in  order  to  effect  it,  there  was  little  he  would  have 
hesitated  to  do.  Now,  however,  when  for  the  first  time  in 
many  years,  a  glimmering  of  human  feeling  was  shining  on 
the  darkness  of  his  mind,  he  found  himself  unexpectedly 
opposed  by  one  of  those  whom  he  had  formerly  found  so 
difficult  to  persuade  into  his  own  dire  plans !  Had  that 
one  been  a  chief  of  any  renown,  the  circumstances  would 
have  been  more  tolerable;  but  here  was  a  man,  presuming 
to  raise  his  voice  against  him,  who,  so  far  as  he  knew  any 
thing  of  his  past  career,  had  not  a  single  claim  to  open  his 
mouth  in  such  a  council.  With  the  volcano  raging  within, 
that  such  a  state  of  things  would  be  likely  to  kindle  in  the 
breast  of  a  savage  who  had  been  for  years  a  successful  and 
nearly  unopposed  leader,  the  mysterious  chief  rose  to  reply. 

"  My  brother  says  he  is  a  weasel,"  observed  Peter,  look 
ing  round  at  the  circle  of  interested  and  grave  counte 
nances  by  which  he  was  surrounded.  "  That  is  a  very  small 
animal.  It  creeps  through  very  small  holes,  but  not  to  do 
good.  It  is  good  for  nothing.  When  it  goes  through  a 
small  hole,  it  is  not  to  do  the  Injins  a  service,  but  for  its 
own  purposes.  I  do  not  like  weasels. 

"  My  brother  is  not  afraid  of  a  bee-hunter.  Can  he  tell 
us  what  a  bee  whispers?  If  he  can,  I  wish  he  would  tell 
us.  Let  him  show  our  young  men  where  there  is  more 
honey — where  they  can  find  bear's  meat  for  another  feast 
— where  they  can  find  warriors  hid  in  the  woods. 

"  My  brother  says  the  bee-hunter  has  no  squaw.  How 
does  he  know  this?  Has  he  lived  in  the  lodge  with  them 
— paddled  in  the  same  canoe — eat  of  the  same  venison? 
A  weasel  is  very  small.  It  might  steal  into  the  bee-hunter's 
lodge,  and  see  what  is  there,  what  is  doing,  what  is  eaten, 
who  is  his  squaw,  and  who  is  not  —  has  this  weasel  ever 
done  so?  I  never  saw  him  there. 

"Brothers;  the  Great  Spirit  has  his  own  way  of  doing 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  335 

things.  lie  does  not  stop  to  listen  to  weasels.  He  knows 
there  are  such  animals — there  are  snakes,  and  toads,  and 
skunks.  The  Great  Spirit  knows  them  all,  but  he  does  not 
mind  them.  He  is  wise,  and  hearkens  only  to  his  own 
mind.  So  should  it  be  with  a  council  of  great  chiefs.  It 
should  listen  to  its  own  mind.  That  is  wisdom.  To  listen 
to  the  mind  of  a  weasel  is  folly. 

"  Brothers,  you  have  been  told  that  this  weasel  does  not 
know  the  tribe  of  which  I  am  born.  Why  should  you 
know  it?  Injins  once  were  foolish.  While  the  pale-faces 
were  getting  one  hunting-ground  after  another  from  them, 
they  dug  up  the  hatchet  against  their  own  friends.  They 
took  each  other's  scalps.  Injin  hated  Injin  —  tribe  hated 
tribe.  I  am  of  no  tribe,  and  no  one  can  hate  me  for  my 
people.  You  see  my  skin.  It  is  red.  That  is  enough. 
I  scalp,  and  smoke,  and  talk,  and  go  on  weary  paths  for  all 
Injins,  and  not  for  any  tribe.  I  am  without  a  tribe.  Some 
call  me  the  Tribeless.  It  is  better  to  bear  that  name,  than 
to  be  called  a  weasel.  I  have  done." 

Peter  had  so  much  success  by  this  argumentum  ad  homi- 
item,  that  most  present  fancied  that  the  weasel  would  creep 
through  some  hole,  and  disappear.  Not  so,  however,  with 
Ungque.  He  was  a  demagogue,  after  an  Indian  fashion ; 
and  this  is  a  class  of  men  that  ever  "  make  capital"  of  abuses, 
as  we  Americans  say,  in  our  money-getting  habits.  Instead 
of  being  frightened  off  the  ground,  he  arose  to  answer  as 
promptly  as  if  a  practised  debater,  though  with  an  air  of 
humility  so  profound,  that  no  one  could  take  offence  at  his 
presumption. 

"The  unknown  chief  has  answered,"  he  said.  "I  am 
glad.  I  love  to  hear  his  words.  My  ears  are  always  open 
when  he  speaks,  and  my  mind  is  stronger.  I  now  see  that 
it  is  good  he  should  not  have  a  tribe.  He  may  be  a  Che 
rokee,  and  then  our  warriors  would  wish  him  ill."  This 
was  a  home-thrust,  most  artfully  concealed ;  a  Cherokee 
being  the  Indian  of  all  others  the  most  hated  by  the  chiefs 
present — the  Carthaginians  of  those  western  Romans.  "  It 
is  better  he  should  not  have  a  tribe,  than  be  a  Cherokee. 
He  might  better  be  a  weasel. 

"  Brothers,  we  have  been  told  to  kill  all  the  pale-faces. 
J  Uke  that  advice.  The  land  cannot  have  two  owners.  If 


836  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

a  pale-face  owns  it,  an  Injin  cannot.  If  an  Injin  owns  it, 
a  pale-face  cannot.  But  the  chief  without  a  tribe  tells  us 
not  to  kill  all.  He  tells  us  to  kill  all  but  the  bee-hunter 
and  his  squaw.  He  thinks  this  bee-hunter  is  a  medicine 
bee-hunter,  and  may  do  us  Injins  great  harm.  He  wishes 
to  let  him  go. 

"  Brothers,  this  is  not  my  way  of  thinking.  It  is  better 
to  kill  the  bee-hunter  and  his  squaw  while  we  can,  that 
there  may  be  no  more  such  medicine  bee-hunters  to  frighten 
us  Injins.  If  one  bee-hunter  can  do  so  much  harm,  what 
would  a  tribe  of  bee-h-unters  do?  I  do  not  want  to  see  any 
more.  It  is  a  dangerous  thing  to  know  how  to  talk  with 
bees.  It  is  best  that  no  one  should  have  that  power.  I 
would  rather  never  taste  honey  again,  than  live  among  pale 
faces  that  can  talk  with  bees. 

"  Brothers,  it  is  not  enough  that  the  pale-faces  know  so 
much  more  than  the  red  men,  but  they  must  get  the  bees 
to  tell  them  where  to  find  honey,  to  find  bears,  to  find  war 
riors.  No;  let  us  take  the  scalp  of  the  bee-talker,  and  of 
his  squaw,  that  there  may  never  be  such  a  medicine  again. 
I  have  spoken." 

Peter  did  not  rise  again.  He  felt  that  his  dignity  was 
involved  in  maintaining  silence.  Various  chiefs  now  ut 
tered  their  opinions,  in  brief,  sententious  language.  For 
the  first  time  since  he  began  to  preach  his  crusade,  the 
current  was  setting  against  the  mysterious  chief.  The 
Weasel  said  no  more,  but  the  hints  he  had  thrown  out  were 
improved  on  by  others.  It  is  with  savages  as  with  civilized 
men ;  a  torrent  must  find  vent.  Peter  had  the  sagacity  to 
see  that  by  attempting  further  to  save  le  Bourdon  and  Mar 
gery,  he  should  only  endanger  his  own  ascendancy,  with 
out  effecting  his  purpose.  Here  he  completely  overlaid 
the  art  of  Ungque,  turning  his  own  defeat  into  an  advan 
tage.  After  the  matter  had  been  discussed  for  fully  an 
hour,  and  this  mysterious  chief  perceived  that  it  was  use 
less  to  adhere  to  his  new  resolution,  he  gave  it  up  with 
as  much  tact  as  the  sagacious  Wellington  himself  could 
manifest  in  yielding  Catholic  emancipation,  or  parliament 
ary  reform;  or,  just  in  season  to  preserve  an  appearance  of 
floating  in  the  current,  and  with  a  grace  hat  disarmed  his 
opponents. 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS  337 

*'  Brothers,"  said  Peter,  by  way  of  closing  the  debate, 
**  I  have  not  seen  straight.  Fog  sometimes  gets  before  the 
eyes,  and  we  cannot  see.  I  have  been  in  a  fog.  The 
breath  of  my  brother  has  blown  it  away.  I  now  see  clearly. 
I  see  that  bee-hunters  ought  not  to  live.  Let  this  one  die 
•— let  his  squaw  die,  too!" 

This  terminated  the  discussion,  as  a  matter  of  course. 
It  was  solemnly  decided  that  all  the  pale-faces  then  in  the 
Openings  should  be  cut  off.  In  acquiescing  in  this  deci 
sion,  Peter  had  no  mental  reservations.  He  was  quite  sin 
cere.  When,  after  sitting  two  hours  longer,  in  order  to 
arrange  still  more  important  points,  the  council  arose,  it 
was  with  his  entire  assent  to  the  decision.  The  only  pcwer 
he  retained  over  the  subject,  was  that  of  directing  the  de 
tails  of  the  contemplated  massacre. 


CHAPTER  XXIII.     .,  •', 

Why  is  that  graceful  female  here 
With  yon  red  hunter  of  the  deer? 
Of  gentle  mien  and  shape,  she  seems 

For  civil  halls  design'd  | 
Yet  with  the  stately  savage  walks, 

As  she  were  of  his  kind. 


THE  family  at  Castle  Meal  saw  nothing  of  any  Indian 
until  the  day  that  succeeded  the  council.  Gershom  and 
Doroth}  received  the  tidings  of  their  sister's  marriage  with 
very  little  emotion.  It  was  an  event  they  expected;  and, 
as  for  bride-cake  and  ceremonies,  of  one  there  was  none 
at  all,  and  of  the  other  no  more  than  has  been  mentioned. 
The  relatives  of  Margery  did  not  break  their  hearts  on  ac 
count  of  the  neglect  with  which  they  had  been  treated,  but 
received  the  young  couple  as  if  one  had  given  her  away, 
and  the  other  "  had  pulled  off  her  glove,"  as  young  ladies 
now  express  it,  in  deference  to  the  act  that  generally  gives 
29 


338  THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

the  coup  de  grace  to  youthful  female  friendships.  On  the 
Openings,  neither  time  nor  breath  is  wasted  in  useless 
compliments ;  and  all  was  held  to  be  well  done  on  this  oc 
casion,  because  it  was  done  legally.  A  question  might 
have  been  raised,  indeed,  whether  that  marriage  had  taken 
place  under  the  American,  or  under  the  English  flag;  for 
General  Hull,  in  surrendering  Detroit,  had  included  the 
entire  territory  of  Michigan,  as  well  as  troops  present, 
troops  absent,  and  troops  on  the  march  to  join  him.  Had 
he  been  in  possession  of  Peter's  ruthless  secret,  which  we 
happen  to  know  he  was  not,  he  could  not  have  been  more 
anxious  to  throw  the  mantle  of  British  authority  around  all 
of  his  race  on  that  remote  frontier,  than  he  proved  himself 
to  be.  Still,  it  is  to  be  presumed  that  the  marriage  would 
have  been  regarded  as  legal ;  conquered  territories  usually 
preserving  their  laws  and  usages  for  a  time,  at  least.  A 
little  joking  passed,  as  a  matter  of  course;  for  this  is  de 
rigueur  in  all  marriages,  except  in  the  cases  of  the  most 
cultivated;  and  certainly  neither  the  corporal  nor  Gershom 
belonged  to  the  elite  of  human  society. 

About  the  hour  of  breakfast  Pigeonswing  came  in,  as  if 
returning  from  one  of  his  ordinary  hunts.  He  brought 
with  him  venison,  as  well  as  several  wild  ducks  that  he 
had  killed  in  the  Kalamazoo,  and  three  or  four  prairie 
hens.  The  Chippewa  never  betrayed  exultation  at  the 
success  of  his  exertions,  but  on  this  occasion  he  actually 
appeared  sad.  Dorothy  received  his  game,  and  as  she  took 
the  ducks  and  other  fowls,  she  spoke  to  him. 

"  Thank  you,  Pigeonswing,"  said  the  young  matron. 
"  No  pale-face  could  be  a  better  provider,  and  many  are 
not  one-half  as  good." 

"  What  provider  mean,  eh  ?"  demanded  the  literal-minded 
savage.  "  Mean  good  ;  mean  bad,  eh?" 

"  Oh !  it  means  good,  of  course.  I  could  say  nothing 
against  a  hunter  who  takes  so  good  care  of  us  all." 

"What  he  mean,  den?" 

"  It  means  a  man  who  keeps  his  wife  and  children  well 
supplied  with  food." 

"You  get  'nough,  eh?" 

"  I  get  enough,  Pigeonswing,  thanks  to  your  industry, 
such  as  it  is.  Injin  diet,  however,  is  not  always  the  best 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  339 

for  Christian  folk,  though  a  body  may  live  on  it.  I  miss 
many  things,  out  here  in  the  Openings,  to  which  I  have 
been  used  all  the  early  part  of  my  life." 

"  What  squaw  miss,  eh?  P'raps  Injin  find  him,  some 
time." 

"  I  thank  you,  Pigeonswing,  with  all  my  heart,  and  am 
just  as  grateful  for  your  good  intentions,  as  I  should  be  was 
you  to  do  all  you  wish.  It  is  the  mind  that  makes  the 
marcy,  and  not  always  the  deed.  But  you  can  never  find 
the  food  of  a  pale-face  kitchen  out  here  in  the  Openings 
of  Michigan.  When  a  body  comes  to  reckon  up  all  the 
good  things  of  Ameriky,  she  don't  know  where  to  begin,  or 
where  to  stop.  I  miss  tea  as  much  as  anything.  And  milk 
comes  next.  Then  there's  buckwheat  and  coffee — though 
things  may  be  found  in  the  woods  to  make  coffee  of,  but 
tea  has  no  substitute.  Then,  I  like  wheaten  bread,  and 
butter,  and  potatoes,  and  many  other  such  articles,  that  I 
was  used  to  all  my  life,  until  I  came  out  here,  close  to  sun 
set.  As  for  pies  and  custards,  I  can't  bear  to  think  of 'em, 
now !" 

Pigeonswing  looked  intently  at  the  woman,  as  she  care 
fully  enumerated  her  favourites  among  the  dishes  of  her 
home-kitchen.  When  she  had  ended,  he  raised  a  finger, 
looked  still  more  significantly  at  her,  and  said — 

"Why  don't  go  back,  get  all  dem  good  t'ings?  Better 
for  pale-face  to  eat  pale-face  food,  and  leave  Injin,  Injin 
food." 

"  For  my  part,  Pigeonswing,  I  wish  such  had  ever  been 
the  law.  Venison,  and  prairie  fowls,  and  wild  ducks,  and 
trout,  and  bear's  meat,  and  wild  pigeons,  and  the  fish  that 
are  to  be  found  in  these  western  rivers,  are  all  good  for  them 
that  was  brought  up  on  'em,  but  they  tire  an  eastern  palate 
dreadfully.  Give  me  roast  beef  any  day  before  bufFaloe's 
hump,  and  a  good  barn-yard  fowl  before  all  the  game-birds 
that  ever  flew." 

"  Yes;  dat  de  way  pale-face  squaw  feel.  Bess  go  back, 
and  get  what  she  like.  Bess  go  cuick  as  she  can  —  go 
lo-day." 

"I'm  in  no  such  hurry,  Pigeoii^wing,  and  I  like  these 
Openings  well  enough  to  stay  a  while  longer,  and  see  what 
all  these  Injins,  that  they  tell  me  are  about  'em,  mean  to 


340  THE    04  K    OPENINGS. 

do.  Now  we  are  fairly  among  your  people,  and  on  good 
terms  with  them,  it  is  wisest  to  stay  where  we  are.  These 
are  war-times,  and  travelling  is  dangerous,  they  tell  me. 
When  Gershom  and  Bourdon  are  ready  to  start,  I  shall  be 
ready,  too." 

"Bess  get  ready,  now,"  rejoined  Pigeonswing;  who, 
having  given  this  advice  with  point,  as  to  manner,  pro 
ceeded  to  the  spring,  where  he  knelt  and  slaked  his  thirst. 
The  manner  of  the  Chippewa  was  such  as  to  attract  the 
attention  of  the  missionary,  who,  full  of  his  theory,  ima 
gined  that  this  desire  to  get  rid  of  the  whites  was,  in  some 
way  or  other,  connected  with  a  reluctance  in  the  Indians 
to  confess  themselves  Jews.  He  had  been  quite  as  much 
surprised  as  he  was  disappointed,  with  the  backwardness 
of  the  chiefs  in  accepting  this  tradition,  and  was  now  in  a 
state  of  mind  that  predisposed  him  to  impute  everything  to 
this  one  cause. 

<•'  I  hope,  Pigeonswing,"  he  said  to  the  Chippewa,  whom 
he  had  followed  to  the  spring — "  I  hope,  Pigeonswing,  that 
no  offence  has  been  taken  by  the  chiefs  on  account  of  what 
I  told  them  yesterday,  concerning  their  being  Jews.  It  is 
what  I  think,  and  it  is  an  honour  to  belong  to  God's  chosen 
people,  and  in  no  sense  a  disgrace.  I  hope  no  offence  has 
been  taken  on  account  of  my  telling  the  chiefs  they  are 
Jews." 

"Don't  care  anyt'ing  'bout  it,"  answered  the  literal  In 
dian,  rising  from  his  kneeling  position,  and  wiping  his 
mouth  with  the  back  of  his  hand.  "  Don't  care  wedder 
Jew,  or  wedder  Injin." 

"  For  my  own  part,  gladly  would  I  have  it  to  say  that  I 
am  descended  from  Israel." 

"  Why  don't  say  him,  if  he  make  you  grad.  Good  to  be 
grad.  All  Injin  love  to  be  grad." 

"Because  I  cannot  say  it  with  truth.  No;  I  come  of 
the  Gentiles,  and  not  of  the  Hebrews,  else  would  I  glory 
in  saying  I  am  a  Jew,  in  the  sense  of  extraction,  though 
not  now  in  the  sense  of  faith.  I  trust  the  chiefs  will  not 
take  offence  at  my  telling  them  just  what  I  think." 

"  Tell  you  he  don't  care,"  returned  Pigeonswing,  a  little 
crustily.  "  Don't  care  if  Jew — don't  care  if  Injin.  Know 
dat  make  no  difference.  Hunting-ground  just  same — game 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  341 

just  same  —  scalps  just  same.     Make  no  difference,  and 
don't  care." 

"  I  am  glad  of  this-r-but  why  did  you  advise  Dorothy  to 
quit  the  Openings  in  the  hasty  manner  you  did,  if  all  ia 
right  with  the  chiefs?  It  is  not  good  to  start  on  a  journey 
without  preparation  and  prayer.  Why,  then,  did  you  give 
this  advice  to  Dorothy  to  quit  the  Openings  so  soon  V 

"  Bess  for  squaw  to  go  home,  when  Injin  dig  up  hatchet. 
Openin'  full  of  warrior — prairie  full  of  warrior — wood  full 
of  warrior.  When  dat  so,  bess  for  squaw  to  go  home." 

"  This  would  be  true,  were  the  Indians  our  enemies. 
Heaven  be  praised,  they  are  our  friends,  and  will  not  harm 
us.  Peter  is  a  great  chief,  and  can  make  his  young  men 
do  what  he  tells  them;  and  Peter  is  our  friend.  With  Peter 
to  stand  by  us,  and  a  merciful  Providence  to  direct  us 
where,  when,  and  how  to  go,  we  can  have  nothing  to  fear 
I  trust  in  Divine  Providence." 

"  Who  he  be  ?"  asked  Pigeonswing,  innocently,  for  his 
knowledge  of  English  did  not  extend  far  enough  to  com 
prehend  a  phrase  so  complicated,  though  so  familiar  to  our 
selves.  "  He  know  all  paths,  eh?" 

"Yes;  and  directs  us  on  all  paths  —  more  especially 
such  as  are  for  our  good." 

"  Bess  get  him  to  tell  you  path  in  to  Detroit.  Dat  good 
path,  now,  for  all  pale-faces." 

On  uttering  this  advice,  which  he  did  also  somewhat 
pointedly,  the  Chippewa  left  the  spring,  and  walked  towards 
the  kennel  of  Hive,  where  the  bee-hunter  was  busy  feeding 
his  old  companion. 

"  You  're  welcome  back,  Pigeonswing,"  the  last  cordially 
remarked,  without  pausing  in  his  occupation,  however. 
"  I  saw  that  you  came  in  loaded,  as  usual.  Have  you  left 
any  dead  game  in  the  Openings,  for  me  to  go  and  back  in 
with  you?" 

"  You  open  ear,  Bourdon — you  know  what  Injin  say," 
returned  the  Chippewa,  earnestly.  "  When  dog  get  'nough 
come  wid  me.  Got  somet'ing  to  tell.  Bess  hear  it,  when 
he  can  hear  it." 

"  You  '11  find  me  ready  enough  in  a  minute.     There, 
Hive,  my  good  fellow,  that  ought  to  satisfy  any  reasonable 
dog,  and  I've  never  found  you  unreasonable,  yet.     Well 
29* 


342  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

Chippevva,  here  I  am,  with  my  ears  wide  open — stop,  I've 
a  bit  of  news,  first,  for  your  ears.  Do  you  know,  Pigeon- 
wing,  my  good  fellow,  that  I'm  married?" 

"  Marry,  eh?     Got  squaw,  eh?     Where  you  get  him?" 

"  Here,  to  be  sure — where  else  should  I  get  her  ?  There 
is  but  one  girl  in  these  Openings  that  I  would  ask  to  be 
my  wife,  and  she  has  been  asked,  and  answered,  yes.  Parson 
Amen  married  us,  yesterday,  on  our  way  in  from  Prairie 
Round  ;  so  that  puts  me  on  a  footing  with  yourself.  When 
you  boast  of  your  squaw  that  you  've  left  in  your  wigwam, 
I  can  boast  of  mine  that  I  have  here.  Margery  is  a  girl 
to  boast  of,  too  !" 

"  Yes ;  good  squaw,  dat.  Like  dat  squaw  pretty  well. 
Nebber  see  better.  Bess  keep  squaw  alway  in  his  own 
wigwam." 

"  Well,  mine  is  in  my  own  wigwam.  Castle  Meal  is  my 
property,  and  she  does  it  honour." 

"  Dat  an't  what  Injin  mean.  Mean  dis.  Bess  have 
wigwam  at  home,  dere,  where  pale-face  lives,  and  bess  keep 
squaw  in  dat  wigwam.  Where  my  squaw,  eh  ?  She  home, 
in  my  wigwam — take  care  of  pappoose,  hoe  corn,  and  keep 
ground  good.  So  bess  wid  white  squaw  —  bess  home,  at 
work." 

"  I  believe  I  understand  what  you  mean,  Pigeon.  Well, 
home  we  mean  to  go,  before  the  winter  sets  in,  and  when 
matters  have  a  little  settled  down  between  the  English  and 
Yankees.  It  isn't  safe  travelling,  just  now,  in  Michigan — 
you  must  own  that  yourself,  my  good  fellow." 

The  Indian  appeared  at  a  loss,  now,  how  to  express  him 
self  further  On  one  side  was  his  faith  to  his  colour,  and 
his  dread  of  Peter  and  the  great  chiefs ;  on  the  other,  his 
strong  regard  for  the  bee-hunter.  He  pondered  a  moment, 
and  then  took  his  own  manner  of  communicating  that 
which  he  wished  to  say.  The  fact  that  his  friend  was  mar 
ried  made  no  great  difference  in  his  advice,  for  the  Indian 
was  much  too  shrewd  an  observer  not  to  have  detected  the 
bee-hunter's  attachment.  He  had  not  supposed  it  possible 
to  separate  his  friend  from  the  family  of  Gershom,  though 
he  did  suppose  there  would  be  less  difficulty  in  getting  him 
to  go  on  a  path  different  from  that  which  the  missionary 
and  corporal  might  take.  His  own  great  purpose  was  to 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

serve  le  Bourdon,  and  how  many  or  how  few  might  inci 
dentally  profit  by  it  he  did  not  care.  The  truth  compels 
us  to  own,  that  even  Margery's  charms,  and  nature,  and 
warm-hearted  interest  in  all  around  her,  had  failed  to  make 
any  impression  on  his  marble-like  feelings;  while  the  bee- 
hunter's  habits,  skill  in  his  craft,  and  close  connection  with 
himself  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  more  especially  in 
liberating  him  from  his  enemies,  had  united  him  in  a  com 
rade's  friendship  with  her  husband.  It  was  a  little  singular 
that  this  Chippewa  did  not  fall  into  Peter's  superstitious 
dread  of  the  bee-hunter's  necromancy,  though  he  was 
aware  of  all  that  had  passed  the  previous  day  on  the  prairie. 
Either  on  account  of  his  greater  familiarity  with  le  Bour 
don's  habits,  or  because  he  was  in  the  secret  of  the  trick 
of  the  whiskey-spring,  or  from  a  closer  knowledge  of  white 
men  and  their  ways,  this  young  Indian  was  freer  from  ap 
prehensions  of  this  nature,  perhaps,  than  any  one  of  the 
same  colour  and  origin  within  many  miles  of  the  spot.  In 
a  word,  Pigeonswing  regarded  the  bee-hunter  as  his  friend, 
while  he  looked  upon  the  other  pale-faces  as  so  many  per 
sons  thrown  by  accident  in  his  company.  Now  that  Mar 
gery  had  actually  become  his  friend's  squaw,  his  interest  in 
her  was  somewhat  increased;  though  she  had  never  ob 
tained  that  interest  in  his  feelings,  that  she  had  awakened 
in  the  breast  of  Peter,  by  her  attentions  to  him,  her  gentle 
ness,  light-hearted  gaiety,  and  womanly  care,  and  all  with 
out  the  least  design  on  her  own  part. 

"  No,"  answered  the  Chippewa,  after  a  moment's  reflec 
tion,  "  no  very  safe  for  Yankee,  or  Yankee  Injin.  Don't 
t'ink  my  scalp  very  safe,  if  chief  know'd  I'm  Yankee 
runner.  Bess  alway  to  keep  scalp  safe.  Dem  Pottavvatta- 
mie  I  take  care  not  to  see.  Know  all  about  'em,  too. 
Know  what  he  say — know  what  he  do — b'lieve  I  know  what 
he  t'ink." 

"  I  did  not  see  you,  Pigeon,  among  the  red  young  men, 
yesterday,  out  on  Prairie  Round." 

"  Know  too  much  to  go  dere.  Crowsfeader  and  Potta- 
wattamie  out  dere.  Bess  not  go  near  dem  when  dey  have 
eye  open  Take  'em  asleep.  Dat  bess  way  wid  sich  Injin 
Catch  'em  some  time '  But  your  ear  open,  Bourdon  ?" 


344  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

"  Wide  open,  my  good  friend — what  have  you  to  whisper 
in  it?" 

"  You  look  hard  at  Peter  when  he  come  in.  If  he  t'ink 
good  deal,  and  don't  say  much,  when  he  do  speak,  mind 
what  he  say.  If  he  smile,  and  very  much  friend,  must  hab 
his  scalp." 

"  Chippewa,  Peter  is  my  friend,  lives  in  my  cabin,  and 
eats  of  my  bread !  The  hand  that  touches  him,  touches 
me." 

"  Which  bess,  eh  —  his  scalp,  or  your'n  ?  If  he  very 
much  friend  when  he  come  in,  his  scalp  muss  come  off,  or 
your'n.  Yes,  juss  so.  Dat  de  way.  Know  Injiri  better 
dan  you  know  him,  Bourdon.  You  good  bee-hunter,  but 
poor  Injin.  Ebberybody  hab  his  way  —  Injin  got  his. 
Peter  laugh  and  very  much  friend,  when  he  come  home, 
den  he  mean  to  hab  your  scalp.  If  don't  smile,  and  don't 
seem  very  much  friend,  but  look  down,  and  t'ink,  t'ink, 
t'ink,  den  he  no  mean  to  hurt  you,  but  try  to  get  you  out 
of  hand  of  chiefs.  Dat  all." 

As  Pigeonswing  concluded,  he  walked  coolly  away, 
leaving  his  friend  to  ruminate  on  the  alternative  of  scalp 
or  no  scalp !  The  bee-hunter  now  understood  the  Chip 
pewa  perfectly.  He  was  aware  that  this  man  had  means 
of  his  own  to  ascertain  what  was  passing  around  him  in 
the  Openings,  and  he  had  the  utmost  confidence  in  his  in 
tegrity  and  good  wishes.  If  a  red  man  is  slow  to  forget 
an  injury,  he  never  forgets  a  favour.  In  this  he  was  as  un 
like  as  possible  to  most  of  the  pale-faces  who  were  sup 
planting  his  race,  for  these  last  had,  and  have,  as  extraordi 
nary  a  tenacity  in  losing  sight  of  benefits,  as  they  have  in 
remembering  wrongs. 

By  some  means  or  other,  it  was  now  clear  that  Pigeons- 
wing  foresaw  that  a  crisis  was  at  hand.  Had  le  Bourdon 
been  as  disconnected  and  solitary  as  he  was  when  he  first 
met  the  Chippewa,  it  is  not  probable  that  either  the  words 
or  the  manner  of  his  friend,  would  have  produced  much 
impression  on  him,  so  little  accustomed  was  he  to  dwell  on 
the  hazards  of  his  frontier  position.  But  the  case  was  now 
altogether  changed.  Margery  and  her  claims  stood  fore 
most  in  his  mind ;  and  through  Margery  came  Dolly  and 
her  husband.  There  was  no  mistaking  Pigeonswing's  in- 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS  345 

tention.  It  was  to  give  warning  of  some  immediate  danger, 
and  a  danger  that,  in  some  way,  was  connected  with  the 
deportment  of  Peter.  It  was  easy  enough  to  comprehend 
the  allusions  to  the  mysterious  chief's  smiles  and  melan 
choly  ;  and  the  bee-hunter  understood  that  he  was  to  watch 
that  Indian's  manner,  and  take  the  alarm  or  bestow  his 
confidence,  accordingly. 

Le  Bourdon  was  not  left  long  in  doubt.  Peter  arrived 
about  half-an-hour  after  Pigeonswing  had  gone  to  seek  his 
rest;  and  from  the  instant  he  came  in  sight,  our  hero  dis 
cerned  the  thoughtful  eye  and  melancholy  manner.  These 
signs  were  still  more  obvious  when  the  tribeless  Indian 
came  nearer;  so  obvious,  indeed,  as  to  strike  more  than 
one  of  those  who  were  interested  observers  of  all  that  this 
extraordinary  being  said  and  did.  Among  others,  Margery 
was  the  first  to  see  this  change,  and  the  first  to  let  it  in 
fluence  her  own  manner.  This  she  did,  notwithstanding 
le  Bourdon  had  said  nothing  to  her  on  the  subject,  and  in 
defiance  of  the  bashful  feelings  of  a  bride  ;  which,  under 
circumstances  less  marked,  might  have  induced  her  to  keep 
more  in  the  back-ground.  As  Peter  stopped  at  the  spring 
to  quench  his  thirst,  Margery  was,  in  truth,  the  first  to  ap 
proach  and  to  speak  to  him. 

"  You  seem  weary,  Peter,"  said  the  young  wife,  some 
what  timidly  as  to  voice  and  air,  but  with  a  decided  and 
honest  manifestation  of  interest  in  what  she  was  about. 
Nor  had  Margery  gone  empty-handed.  She  took  with  her 
a  savoury  dish,  one  of  those  that  the  men  of  the  woods 
love — meat  cooked  in  its  own  juices,  and  garnished  with 
several  little  additions,  that  her  skill  in  the  arts  of  civilized 
life  enabled  her  to  supply. 

"  You  seem  tired,  Peter,  and  if  I  did  not  fear  to  say  it, 
I  should  tell  you  that  you  also  seem  sad,"  said  Margery,  as  • 
she  placed  her  dish  on  a  rude  table  that  was  kept  at  the 
spot,  for  the  convenience  of  those  who  seldom  respected 
hours,  or  regularity  of  any  sort  in  their  meals.  "  Here  is 
food  that  you  like,  which  I  have  cooked  with  my  own 
hands." 

The  Indian  looked  intently  at  the  timid  and  charming 
young  creature,  who  came  forward  thus  to  contribute  to  his 
comforts,  and  the  saddened  expression  of  his  countenance 


346  THE     OAK    OPENINGS. 

deepened.  He  was  fatigued  and  hungry,  and  he  ate  for 
some  time  without  speaking,  beyond  uttering  a  brief  ex 
pression  of  his  thanks.  When  his  appetite  was  appeased, 
however,  and  she  who  had  so  sedulously  attended  to  his 
wants  was  about  to  remove  the  remains  of  the  dish,  he 
signed  with  his  finger  for  her  to  draw  nearer,  intimating 
that  he  had  something  to  say.  Margery  obeyed,  without 
hesitation,  though  the  colour  flitted  in  her  face  like  the 
changes  in  an  evening  sky.  But  so  much  good  will  and 
confidence  had  been  awakened  between  these  two,  that  a 
daughter  would  not  have  drawn  near  to  a  father  with  more 
confidence  than  Margery  stood  before  Peter. 

"Medicine-man  do  what  I  tell  him,  young  squaw,  eh?" 
Demanded  Peter,  smiling  slightly,  and  for  the  first  time 
'nee  they  had  met. 

"  By  medicine-man  do  you  mean  Mr.  Amen,  or  Bour 
don  ?"  the  bride  asked  in  her  turn,  her  whole  face  reflect 
ing  the  confusion  she  felt,  scarcely  knowing  why. 

"  Bot'.  One  medicine-man  say  his  prayer;  t' odder 
medicine-man  take  young  squaw's  hand,  and  lead  her  into 
his  wigwam.  Dat  what  I  mean." 

"  I  am  married  to  Bourdon,"  returned  Margery,  drop 
ping  her  eyes  to  the  ground,  "  if  that  be  what  you  wish  to 
know.  I  hope  you  think  I  shall  have  a  good  husband, 
Peter  ?" 

<c  Hope  so,  too — nebber  know  till  time  come.  All  good 
for  little  while — Injin  good,  squaw  good.  Juss  like  weadder. 
Sometime  rain  —  sometime  storm  —  sometime  sunshine. 
Juss  so  wid  Jnjin,  juss  so  wid  pale-face.  No  difference. 
All  same.  You  see  dat  cloud?  —  he  little  now;  but  let 
wind  blow,  he  grow  big,  and  you  see  nuttin'  but  cloud. 
Let  him  have  plenty  of  sunshine,  and  he  go  away;  den  all 
clear  over  head.  Dat  bess  way  to  live  wid  husband." 

"  And  that  is  the  way  which  Bourdon  and  I  will  always 
live  together.  When  we  get  back  among  our  own  people, 
Peter,  and  are  living  comfortably  in  a  pale-face  wigwam, 
with  pale-face  food,  and  pale-face  drinks,  and  all  the  other 
good  things  of  pale-face  housekeeping  about  us,  then  I  hope 
you  will  come  and  see  how  happy  we  are,  and  pass  some 
time  with  us.  Every  year  I  wish  you  to  come  and  see  us, 
and  to  bring  us  venison,  and  Bourdon  will  give  you  powder, 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  347 

and  lead,  and  blankets,  and  all  you  may  want,  unless  it  be 
fire-water.  Fire-water  he  has  promised  never  again  to  give 
to  an  Irijin." 

"No  find  any  more  whiskey-spring,  eh?"  demanded 
Peter,  greatly  interested  in  the  young  woman's  natural  and 
warm-hearted  manner  of  proposing  her  hospitalities.  "  So 
bess — so  bess.  Great  curse  for  Injin.  Plenty  honey,  no 
fire-water.  All  dat  good.  And  I  come,  if — " 

Here  Peter  stopped,  nor  could  all  Margery's  questions 
induce  him  to  complete  the  sentence.  His  gaze  at  the 
earnest  countenance  of  the  bride  was  such  as  to  give  her 
an  indefinite  sort  of  uneasiness,  not  to  say  a  feeling  of 
alarm.  Still  no  explanation  passed  between  them.  Mar 
gery  remained  near  Peter  for  some  time,  administering  to  his 
wants,  and  otherwise  demeaning  herself  much  as  a  daughter 
might  have  done.  At  length  le  Bourdon  joined  them.  The 
salutations  were  friendly,  and  the  manner  in  which  the 
mysterious  chief  regarded  the  equally  mysterious  bee- 
hunter,  was  not  altogether  without  a  certain  degree  of  awe 
Boden  perceived  this,  and  was  not  slow  to  comprehend 
that  he  owed  this  accession  of  influence  to  the  scene  which 
had  occurred  on  the  prairie. 

"Is  the  great  council  ended,  Peter?"  asked  the  bee- 
hunter,  when  the  little  interval  of  silence  had  been  observed. 

"Yes,  it  over.  No  more  council,  now,  on  Prairie 
Round." 

"And  the  chiefs  —  have  they  all  gone  on  their  proper 
paths?  What  has  become  of  my  old  acquaintance,  Crows- 
feather? — and  all  the  rest  of  them  —  Bear's  Meat,  in  par 
ticular?" 

"  All  gone.  No  more  council,  now.  Agree  what  to  do, 
and  so  go  away." 

"  But  are  red  men  always  as  good  as  their  words?  —  do 
they  perform  always  what  they  promise  ?" 

"  Sartain  —  Ebbery  man  ought  do  what  he  say.  Dat 
Injin  law — no  pale-face  law,  eh?" 

"  It  may  be  the  law,  Peter,  and  a  very  good  law  it  is ; 
but  we  white  men  do  not  always  mind  our  own  laws." 

"  Dat  bad — Great  Spirit  don't  like  dat,"  returned  Peter, 
looking  grave,  and  slowly  shaking  his  head.  "  Dat  very 
bad.  When  Injin  say  he  do  it,  den  he  do  it,  if  he  can. 


348  THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

If  can't,  no  help  for  it.  Send  squaw  away,  now,  Bour 
don —  bess  not  to  let  squaw  hear  what  men  say,  or  will 
always  want  to  hear." 

Le  Bourdon  laughed,  as  he  turned  to  Margery  and  re 
peated  these  words.  The  young  wife  coloured,  but  she 
took  it  in  good  part,  and  ran  up  towards  the  palisaded 
lodge,  like  one  who  was  glad  to  be  rid  of  her  companions. 
Peter  waited  a  few  moments,  then  turning  his  head  slowly 
in  all  directions,  to  make  sure  of  not  being  overheard,  he 
began  to  lay  open  his  mind. 

"  You  been  on  Prairie  Round,  Bourdon — you  see  Injin 
dere — chief,  warrior,  young  men,  hunter,  all  dere." 

"  I  saw  them  all,  Peter,  and  a  goodly  sight  it  was — what 
between  paint,  and  medals,  and  bows  and  arrows,  and 
tomahawks,  and  all  your  bravery  !" 

"  You  like  to  see  him,  eh? — Yes;  he  fine  t'ing  to  look 
at.  Well,  dat  council  call  togedder  by  me — you  know  dat, 
too,  Bourdon?" 

"  I  have  heard  you  say  that  such  was  your  intention,  and 
I  suppose  you  did  it,  chief.  They  tell  me  you  have  great 
power  among  your  own  people,  and  that  they  do  very  much 
as  you  tell  them  to  do." 

Peter  looked  graver  than  ever  at  this  remark ;  and  one 
of  his  startling  gleams  of  ferocity  passed  over  his  dark 
countenance.  Then  he  answered  with  his  customary  self- 
command. 

^  Sometime,  so,"  he  said ;  "  sometime,  not  so.  Yester* 
day,  not  so.  Dere  is  chief  dat  want  to  put  Peter  under 
his  foot !  He  try,  but  he  no  do  it !  I  know  Peter  well, 
and  know  dat  chief,  too." 

"  This  is  news  to  me,  Peter,  and  I  am  surprised  to  hear 
it.  I  did  think  that  even  the  great  Tecumthe  was  scarcely 
as  big  a  chief  as  you  are,  yourself." 

"  Yes,  pretty  big  chief;  dat  true.  But,  among  Injin, 
ebbery  man  can  speak,  and  nebber  know  which  way  council 

fx     Sometime,  he  go  one  way ;  sometime,  he  go  tudder. 
ou  hear  Bough  of  Oak  speak,  Bourdon,  eh?     Tell  me 
dat?" 

"  You  will  remember  that  I  heard  none  of  your  speakers 
on  Prairie  Round,  Peter.  I  do  not  remember  any  such 
orator  as  this  Bough  of  Oak." 


•  -. 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  349 

"  He  great  rascal,"  said  Peter,  who  had  picked  up  some 
of  the  garrison  expressions  among  those  from  whom  he  ac 
quired  the  knowledge  of  English  he  possessed,  such  as  it 
was.  "  Listen,  Bourdon.  Nebber  bess  stand  too  much  in 
Peter's  way." 

The  bee-hunter  laughed  freely  at  this  remark ;  for  his 
own  success  the  previous  day,  and  the  impression  he  had 
evidently  made  on  that  occasion,  emboldened  him  to  take 
greater  liberties  with  the  mysterious  chief  than  had  been 
his  wont. 

"  I  should  think  that,  Peter,"  cried  the  young  man, 
gaily — "  I  should  think  all  that.  For  one,  I  should  choose 
to  get  out  of  it.  The  path  you  travel  is  your  own,  and  all 
wise  men  will  leave  you  to  journey  along  it  in  your  own 
fashion." 

"  Yes ;  dat  bess  way,"  answered  the  great  chief,  with 
admirable  simplicity.  "  Don't  like,  when  he  say  yes,  to  hear 
anudder  chief  say  no.  Dat  an't  good  way  to  do  business." 
These  were  expressions  caught  from  the  trading  whites, 
and  were  often  used  by  those  who  got  their  English  from 
them.  "  I  tell  you  one  t'ing,  Bourdon— dat  Bough  of  Oak 
very  foolish  Injin  if  he  put  foot  on  my  path." 

"  This  is  plain  enough,  Peter,"  rejoined  le  Bourdon,  who 
was  unconcernedly  repairing  some  of  the  tools  of  his  ordi 
nary  craft.  "  By  the  way,  I  am  greatly  in  your  debt,  I 
learn,  for  one  thing.  They  tell  me  I  've  got  my  squaw  in 
my  wigwam  a  good  deal  sooner,  by  your  advice,  than  I 
might  have  otherwise  done.  Margery  is  now  my  wife,  I 
suppose  you  know ;  and  I  thank  you  heartily,  for  helping 
me  to  get  married  so  much  sooner  than  I  expected  to  be." 

Here  Peter  grasped  Bourdon  by  the  hand,  and  poured 
out  his  whole  soul,  secret  hopes,  fears,  and  wishes.  On 
this  occasion  he  spoke  in  the  Indian  dialect — one  of  those 
that  he  knew  the  bee-hunter  understood.  And  we  trans 
late  what  he  said  freely  into  English,  preserving  as  much 
of  the  original  idiom  as  the  change  of  language  will  permit. 

"  Listen,  hunter  of  the  bee,  and  great  medicine  of  the 

pale-faces,  and  hear  what  a  chief  that  knows  the  red  men 

is  about  to  tell  you.     Let  my  words  go  into  your  ears ;  let 

them  stay  in  your  mind.     They  are  words  that  will  do  you 

30 


350  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

good.  It  is  not  wise  to  let  such  words  come  out  again  by 
the  hole  through  which  they  have  just  entered. 

"  My  young  friend  knows  our  traditions.  They  do  not 
tell  us  that  the  Injins  were  Jews ;  they  tell  us  that  the  Ma- 
nitou  created  them  red  men.  They  tell  us  that  our  fathers 
used  these  hunting-grounds  ever  since  the  earth  was  placed 
on  the  back  of  the  big  tortoise  which  upholds  it.  The 
pale-faces  say  the  earth  moves.  If  this  be  true,  it  moves 
as  slowly  as  the  tortoise  walks.  It  cannot  have  gone  far 
since  the  Great  Spirit  lifted  his  hand  off  it.  If  it  move, 
the  hunting-grounds  move  with  it,  and  the  tribes  move 
with  their  own  hunting-grounds.  It  may  be  that  some  of 
the  pale-faces  are  lost,  but  no  Injin  is  lost — the  medicine- 
priest  is  mistaken.  He  has  looked  so  often  in  his  book, 
that  he  sees  nothing  but  what  is  there.  He  does  not  sea 
what  is  before  his  eyes,  at  his  side,  behind  his  back,  all 
around  him.  I  have  known  such  Injins.  They  see  but 
one  thing;  even  the  deer  jump  across  their  paths,  and  are 
not  seen. 

"  Such  are  our  traditions.  They  tell  us  that  this  land 
was  given  to  the  red  men,  and  not  to  pale-faces.  That 
none  but  red  men  have  any  right  to  hunt  here.  The  Great 
Spirit  has  laws.  He  has  told  us  these  laws.  They  teach 
ys  to  love  our  friends,  and  to  hate  our  enemies.  You  don't 
believe  this,  Bourdon?"  observing  the  bee-hunter  to  wince 
a  little,  as  if  he  found  the  doctrine  bad. 

"  This  is  not  what  our  priests  tell  MS,"  answered  le  Bour 
don.  "  They  tell  us  that  the  white  man's  God  commands 
us  to  love  all  alike — to  do  good  to  our  enemies,  to  love  them 
that  wish  us  harm,  and  to  treat  all  men  as  we  would  wish 
men  to  treat  us." 

Peter  was  a  good  deal  surprised  at  this  doctrine,  and  it 
was  nearly  a  minute  before  he  resumed  the  discourse.  He 
had  recently  heard  it  several  times,  and  it  was  slowly  work 
ing  its  way  into  his  mind. 

"  Such  are  our  traditions,  and  such  are  our  laws.  Look 
at  me.  Fifty  winters  have  tried  to  turn  my  hair  white. 
Time  can  do  that.  The  hair  is  the  only  part  of  an  Injin 
that  ever  turns  white;  all  the  rest  of  him  is  red.  That  is 
his  colour.  The  game  know  an  Injin  by  his  colour.  The 
tribes  know  him.  Everything  knows  him  by  his  colour. 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  351 

He  knows  the  things  which  the  Great  Spirit  has  given  him, 
in  the  same  way.  He  gets  used  to  them,  and  they  are  his 
acquaintances.  He  does  not  like  strange  things.  He  does 
not  like  strangers.  White  men  are  strangers,  and  he  does 
not  like  to  see  them  on  his  hunting-ground.  If  they  come 
singly,  to  kill  a  few  buffaloes,  or  to  look  for  honey,  or  to 
catch  beaver,  the  Injins  would  not  complain.  They  love 
to  give  of  their  abundance.  The  pale-faces  do  not  come 
in  this  fashion.  They  do  not  come  as  guests;  they  come 
as  masters.  They  come  and  they  stay.  Each  year  of 
my  fifty  have  I  heard  of  new  tribes  that  have  been  driven 
by  them  towards  the  setting  sun. 

"  Bourdon,  for  many  seasons  I  have  thought  of  this.  I 
have  tried  to  find  a  way  to  stop  them.  There  is  but  one. 
That  way  must  the  Injins  try,  or  give  up  their  hunting- 
grounds  to  the  strangers.  No  nation  likes  to  give  up  its 
hunting-grounds.  They  come  from  the  Manitou,  and  one 
day  he  may  ask  to  have  them  back  again.  What  could  the 
red  men  say,  if  they  let  the  pale-faces  take  them  away. 
No;  this  we  cannot  do.  We  will  first  try  the  one  thing 
that  is  to  be  done." 

"  I  believe  I  understand  you,  Peter,"  observed  le  Bour 
don,  finding  that  his  companion  paused.  "  You  mean  war. 
War,  in  the  Injin  mode  of  redressing  all  wrongs;  war 
against  man,  woman,  and  child !" 

Peter  nodded  in  acquiescence,  fixing  his  glowing  eyes 
on  the  bee-hunter's  face,  as  if  to  read  his  soul. 

"  Am  I  to  understand,  then,  that  you  and  your  friends, 
the  chiefs  and  their  followers,  that  I  saw  on  Prairie  Round, 
mean  to  begin  with  us,  half-a-dozen  whites,  of  whom  two 
are  women,  who  happen  to  be  here  in  your  power — that 
our  scalps  are  to  be  the  first  taken?" 

"  First ! — no,  Bourdon.  Peter's  hand  has  taken  a  great 
many,  years  since.  He  has  got  a  name  for  his  deeds,  and 
no  longer  dare  go  to  the  white  men's  forts.  He  does  not 
look  for  Yankees,  he  looks  for  pale-faces.  When  he  meets 
a  pale-face  on  the  prairies,  or  in  the  woods,  he  tries  to  gel 
his  scalp.  This  has  he  done  for  years,  and  many  has  he 
taken." 

"  This  is  a  bloody  account  you  are  giving  of  yourself 
Peter,  and  I  would  rather  you  should  not  have  told  it 


352  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

Some  such  account  I  have  heard  before ;  but  living  with 
you,  and  eating,  and  drinking,  and  sleeping,  and  travelling 
in  your  company,  I  had  not  only  hoped,  but  begun  to  think, 
it  was  not  true." 

"  It  is  true.  My  wish  is  to  cut  off  the  pale-faces.  This 
must  be  done,  or  the  pale-faces  will  cut  off  the  Injins. 
There  is  no  choice.  One  nation  or  the  other  must  be 
destroyed.  I  am  a  red  man;  my  heart  tells  me  that  the 
pale-faces  should  die.  They  are  on  strange  hunting- 
grounds,  not  the  red  men.  They  are  wrong,  we  are  right. 
But,  Bourdon,  I  have  friends  among  the  pale-faces,  and  it 
is  not  natural  to  scalp  our  friends.  I  do  not  understand  a 
religion  that  tells  us  to  love  our  enemies,  and  to  do  good 
to  them  that  do  harm  to  us — it  is  a  strange  religion.  I  am 
a  poor  Injin,  and  do  not  know  what  to  think !  I  shall  not 
believe  that  any  do  this,  till  I  see  it.  I  understand  that 
we  ought  to  love  our  friends.  Your  squaw  is  my  daughter. 
I  have  called  her  daughter — she  knows  it,  and  my  tongue 
is  not  forked,  like  a  snake's.  What  it  says,  I  mean.  Once 
I  meant  to  scalp  your  young  squaw,  because  she  was  a 
pale-face  squaw,  and  might  bi  the  mother  of  more.  Now 
I  do  not  mean  to  scalp  her ;  my  hand  shall  never  harm  her. 
My  wisdom  shall  tell  her  how  to  escape  from  the  hands  of 
red  men  who  seek  her  scalp.  You,  too ;  now  you  are  her 
husband,  and  are  a  great  medicine-man  of  the  bees,  my 
hand  shall  not  hurt  you,  either.  Open  your  ears  wide,  for 
big  truths  must  go  into  them." 

Peter  then  related  in  full  his  attempt  to  procure  a  safe 
passage  for  le  Bourdon  and  Margery  into  the  settlements, 
and  its  total  failure.  He  owned  that  by  his  previous  com 
binations  he  had  awakened  a  spirit  among  the  Indians  that 
his  present  efforts  could  not  quell.  In  a  word,  he  told  the 
whole  story  as  it  must  have  been  made  apparent  to  the 
reader,  and  he  now  came  with  his  plans  to  defeat  the  very 
schemes  that  he  had  himself  previously  projected.  One 
thing,  however,  that  he  did  not  conceal,  filled  the  mind  of 
his  listener  with  horror,  and  created  so  strong  an  aversion 
to  acting  in  concert  with  one  who  could  even  allude  to  it 
so  coolly,  that  there  was  danger  of  breaking  off  all  com 
munications  between  the  parties,  and  placing  the  result 
purely  on  force ;  a  course  that  must  have  proved  totally 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  353 

destructive  to  all  the  whites.  The  difficulty  arose  from  a 
naive  confession  of  Peter's,  that  he  did  not  even  wish  to 
save  any  but  le  Bourdon  and  Margery,  and  that  he  still 
desired  the  deaths  of  all  the  others,  himself! 


CHAPTEK  XXIV. 

For  thou  wert  born  of  woman !     Thou  didst  come. 
0  Holiest!  to  this  world  of  sin  and  gloom, 
Not  in  thy  dread  omnipotent  array; 
And  not  by  thunders  strewed 
Was  thy  tempestuous  road, 
Nor  indignation  burnt  before  thee  on  thy  way 
But  thee,  a  soft  and  naked  child, 

Thy  mother  undefiled, 
In  the  rude  manger  laid  to  rest 
From  off  her  virgin  breast. 

,  /     • 

THE  blood  of  the  bee-hunter  curdled  in  his  veins  as  he 
listened  to  Peter's  business-like  and  direct  manner  of  treat 
ing  this  terrible  subject.  Putting  the  most  favourable  view 
on  his  situation,  it  was  frightful  to  look  on.  Admitting 
that  this  fanatical  savage  were  sincere  in  all  his  professions 
of  a  wish  to  save  him  and  Margery,  and  le  Bourdon  did 
not,  nay,  could  not  doubt  this,  after  his  calm,  but  ferocious 
revelations;  but,  admitting  all  this  to  be  true,  how  was  he 
to  escape  with  his  charming  bride,  environed  as  they  were 
by  so  large  a  band  of  hostile  Indians.  Then  the  thought 
of  abandoning  his  other  companions,  and  attempting,  in 
cold  selfishness,  to  escape  with  Margery  alone,  was  more 
than  he  could  bear.  Never  before,  in  his  adventurous  and 
bold  life,  had  le  Bourdon  been  so  profoundly  impressed 
with  a  sense  of  his  danger,  or  so  much  overcome. 

Still,  our  hero  was  not  unmanned.  He  saw  all  the  ha 
zards,  as  it  were,  at  a  glance,  and  felt  how  terrible  might 
be  the  result  should  they  really  fall  into  the  hands  of  the 
warriors,  excited  to  exercise  their  ingenuity  in  devising  the 
30* 


354  THE     JAK    OPENINGS. 

means  of  torture ;  and  he  gazed  into  the  frightful  perspec 
tive  with  a  manly  steadiness  that  did  him  credit,  even  while 
he  sickened  at  the  prospect. 

Peter  had  told  his  story  in  a  way  to  add  to  its  horrible 
character.  There  was  a  manner  of  truth,  of  directness, 
of  work,  if  one  may  use  such  an  expression  on  such  a 
subject,  that  gave  a  graphic  reality  to  all  he  said.  As  if 
his  task  was  done,  the  mysterious  chief  now  coolly  arose, 
and  moved  away  to  a  little  grove,  in  which  the  missionary 
and  the  corporal  had  thrown  themselves  on  the  grass,  where 
they  lay  speculating  on  the  probable  course  that  the  bands 
in  their  neighbourhood  would  next  pursue.  So  thoroughly 
possessed  was  the  clergyman  with  his  one  idea,  however,  that 
he  was  expressing  regret  at  his  failure  in  the  attempt  to  con 
vince  the  savages  that  they  were  Jews,  when  Peter  joined  them. 

"You  tired — you  lie  down  in  daytime,  like  sick  squaw, 
eh?"  asked  the  Indian,  in  a  slightly  satirical  manner. 
"  Bess  be  up,  sich  fine  day,  and  go  wid  me  to  see  some 
more  chief." 

"  Most  gladly,  Peter,"  returned  the  missionary,  springing 
to  his  feet  with  alacrity—"  and  I  shall  have  one  more  op 
portunity  to  show  your  friends  the  truth  of  what  I  have 
told  them." 

"  Yes,  Injin  love  to  hear  trut' — hate  to  hear  lie.  Can 
tell  'em  all  you  want  to  say.  He  go  too,  eh?"  pointing  to 
the  corporal,  who  rather  hung  back,  as  if  he  saw  that  in 
the  invitation  which  was  not  agreeable  to  him. 

"  I  will  answer  for  my  friend,"  returned  the  confiding 
missionary,  cheerfully.  "  Lead  on,  Peter,  and  we  will 
follow." 

Thus  pledged,  the  corporal  no  longer  hesitated ;  but  he 
accompanied  Parson  Amen,  as  the  latter  fell  into  the  tracks 
of  the  chief,  and  proceeded  rapidly  in  the  direction  of  the 
spring  in  the  piece  of  bottom-land,  where  the  council  first 
described  had  been  held.  This  spot  was  about  two  miles 
from  the  palisaded  house,  and  quite  out  of  view,  as  well  as 
out  of  reach  of  sound.  As  they  walked  side  by  side, 
taking  the  footsteps  of  the  great  chief  for  their  guides,  the 
corporal,  however,  expressed  to  his  companion  his  dislike  of 
the  whole  movement. 

"  We  ought  to  stand  by  our  garrison  in  times  like  theso 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  355 

Ml  Amen,"  said  the  well-meaning  soldier.  "A  garrison  is 
a  garrison  ;  and  Injins  seldom  do  much  on  a  well-built  and 
boldly-defended  spot  of  that  natur'.  They  want  artillery, 
without  which  their  assaults  are  never  very  formidable." 

"  Why  talk  you  of  warlike  means,  corporal,  when  we 
are  in  the  midst  of  friends?  Is  not  Peter  our  known  and 
well-tried  associate,  one  with  whom  you  and  I  have  tra 
velled  far  ;  and  do  we  not  know  that  we  have  friends  among 
these  chiefs,  whom  we  are  now  going  to  visit?  The  Lord 
has  led  me  into  these  distant  and  savage  regions,  to  carry 
his  word,  and  to  proclaim  his  name;  and  a  most  unworthy 
and  unprofitable  servant  should  I  prove,  were  I  to  hesitate 
about  approaching  them  I  am  appointed  to  teach.  No,  no; 
fear  nothing.  I  will  not  say  that  you  carry  Caesar  and  his 
fortunes,  as  I  have  heard  was  once  said  of  old,  but  I  will 
say  you  follow  one  who  is  led  of  God,  and  who  marches  with 
the  certainty  of  being  divinely  commanded." 

The  corporal  was  ashamed  to  oppose  so  confident  an 
enthusiasm,  and  he  offered  no  further  resistance.  Together 
the  two  followed  their  leader,  who,  turning  neither  to  the 
right  hand  nor  to  the  left,  soon  had  them  out  of  sight  of 
the  castle,  and  well  on  their  way  towards  the  spring.  When 
about  half  the  distance  was  made,  the  direction  took  the 
party  through  a  little  thicket,  or  rather  along  its  margin, 
and  the  missionary,  a  good  deal  to  his  surprise,  saw  Pigeons- 
wing  within  the  cover,  seemingly  preparing  for  another 
hunt.  This  young  warrior  had  so  lately  returned  from  one 
excursion  of  this  nature,  that  he  was  not  expected  to  go 
forth  so  soon  on  another.  Nor  was  he  accustomed  to  go 
out  so  early  in  the  day.  This  was  the  hour  in  which  he 
ordinarily  slept;  but  there  he  was,  beyond  a  question,  and 
apparently  looking  at  the  party  as  it  passed.  So  cold  was 
his  manner,  however,  and  so  indifferent  did  he  seem,  that 
no  one  would  have  suspected  that  he  knew  aught  of  what 
was  in  contemplation.  Having  satisfied  himself  that  his 
friend,  the  bee-hunter,  was  not  one  of  those  who  followed 
Peter,  the  Chippewa  turned  coldly  away,  and  began  to  ex 
amine  the  flint  of  his  rifle.  The  corporal  noted  this 
manner,  and  it  gave  him  additional  confidence  to  proceed ; 
for  he  could  not  imagine  that  any  human  being  would  mani 
fest  so  much  indifference,  when  sinister  designs  existed. 


356  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

Peter  turned  neither  to  the  right  hand  nor  to  the  left, 
until  he  had  led  the  way  down  upon  the  little  arena  of 
bottom-land,  already  described,  and  which  was  found  well 
sprinkled  with  savages.  A  few  stood,  or  sat  about  in 
groups,  earnestly  conversing;  but  most  lay  extended  at 
length  on  the  greensward,  in  the  incblent  repose  that  is  so 
grateful  to  an  Indian  warrior  in  his  hours  cf  inaction.  The 
arrival  of  Peter,  however,  instantly  put  a  new  face  on  the 
appearance  of  matters.  Every  man  started  to  his  feet,  and 
additions  were  made  to  those  who  were  found  in  the  arena 
by  those  who  came  out  of  the  adjacent  thickets,  until  some 
two  or  three  hundred  of  the  red  men  were  assembled  in  a 
circle  around  the  newly-arrived  pale-faces. 

"  There,"  said  Peter,  sternly,  fastening  his  eye  with  a 
hostile  expression  on  Bough  of  the  Oak  and  Ungque,  in 
particular — "  There  are  your  captives.  Do  with  them  as 
you  will.  As  for  them  that  have  dared  to  question  my 
faith,  let  them  own  that  they  are  liars !" 

This  was  not  a  very  amicable  salutation,  but  savages  are 
accustomed  to  plain  language.  Bough  of  the  Oak  appeared 
a  little  uneasy,  and  Ungque's  countenance  denoted  dissatis 
faction  ;  but  the  last  was  too  skilful  an  actor,  to  allow  many 
of  the  secrets  of  his  plotting  mind  to  shine  through  the 
windows  of  his  face.  As  for  the  crowd  at  large,  gleams 
of  content  passed  over  the  bright  red  faces,  illuminating 
them  with  looks  of  savage  joy.  Murmurs  of  approbation 
were  heard,  and  Crowsfeather  addressed  the  throng,  there, 
where  it  stood,  encircling  the  two  helpless,  and  as  yet  but 
half-alarmed  victims  of  so  fell  a  plot. 

"  My  brothers  and  my  yotmg  men  can  now  see,"  said 
this  Pottawattamie,  "  that  the  tribeless  chief  has  an  Injin 
heart.  His  heart  is  not  a  pale-face  heart  —  it  is  that  of  a 
red  man.  Some  of  our  chiefs  have  thought  that  he  had 
lived  too  much  with  the  stranger,  and  that  he  had  forgotten 
the  traditions  of  our  fathers,  and  was  listening  to  the  song 
of  the  medicine-priest.  Some  thought  that  he  believed 
himself  lost,  and  a  Jew,  and  not  an  Injin.  This  is  not  so. 
Peter  knows  the  path  he  is  on.  He  knows  that  he  is  q 
red-skin,  and  he  looks  on  the  Yankees  as  enemies.  The 
scalps  he  has  taken  are  so  numerous  they  cannot  be  counted. 
He  is  ready  to  take  more.  Here  are  two  that  he  gives  to 


THE     OAK    OPENINGS.  357 

us.  When  we  have  done  with  these  two  captives,  he  will 
bring  us  more.  He  will  continue  to  bring  them,  until  the 
pale-faces  will  be  as  few  as  the  deer  in  their  own  clearings. 
Such  is  the  will  of  the  Manitou." 

The  missionary  understood  all  that  was  said,  and  he  was 
not  a  little  appalled  at  the  aspect  of  things.  For  the  first 
time,  he  began  to  apprehend  that  he  was  in  danger.  So 
much  was  this  devout  and  well-intentioned  servant  of  his 
church  accustomed  to  place  his  dependence  on  a  superin 
tending  Providence,  that  apprehension  of  personal  suffering 
seldom  had  any  influence  on  his  exertions.  He  believed 
himself  to  be  an  object  of  especial  care  ;  though  he  was  ever 
ready  to  admit  that  the  wisdom  which  human  minds  cannot 
compass,  might  order  events  that,  at  first  sight,  would  seem 
to  be  opposed  to  that  which  ought  to  be  permitted  to  come 
to  pass.  In  this  particular  Parson  Amen  was  a  model  of 
submission,  firmly  believing  that  all  that  happened  was  in 
furtherance  of  the  great  scheme  of  man's  regeneration, 
and  eventual  salvation. 

With  the  corporal,  it  was  very  different.  Accustomed 
to  war  with  red  men,  and  most  acquainted  with  them  in  their 
worst  character,  he  ever  suspected  treachery,  and  had  fol 
lowed  Peter  with  a  degree  of  reluctance  he  had  not  cared 
to  express.  .He  now  thoroughly  took  the  alarm,  however, 
and  stood  on  his  guard.  Although  he  did  not  comprehend 
more  than  half  of  that  which  Peter  had  said,  he  under 
stood  quite  enough  to  see  that  he  and  the  missionary  were 
surrounded  by  enemies,  if  not  by  executioners. 

"  We  have  fallen  into  a  sort  of  ambush,  here,  Parson 
Amen,"  cried  the  corporal,  rattling  his  arms,  as  he  looked 
to  their  condition,  "  and  it 's  high  time  we  beat  the  general. 
If  there  were  four  on  us,  we  might  form  a  square ;  but,  being 
only  two,  the  best  thing  we  can  do  will  be  to  stand  back  to 
back,  and  for  one  to  keep  an  eye  on  the  right  flank,  while 
he  nat'rally  watches  all  in  front,  and  for  the  other  to  keep  an 
eye  on  the  left  flank,  while  he  sees  to  the  rear.  Place  your 
back  close  to  mine,  and  take  the  left  flank  into  your  part 
of  the  look-out.  Closer,  closer,  my  good  sir;  we  must 
stand  solid  as  rooted  trees,  to  make  anything  of  a  stand." 

The  missionary,  in  his  surprise,  permitted  the  corporal 
to  assume  the  position  described,  though  conscious  of  its 


358  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

uselessness  in  their  actual  condition.  As  for  the  Indians, 
the  corporal's  manner,  and  the  rattling  of  his  arms,  induced 
the  circle  to  recede  several  paces;  though  nothing  like 
alarm  prevailed  among  them.  The  effect,  nevertheless, 
was  to  leave  the  two  captives  space  for  their  evolutions,  and 
a  sort  of  breathing  time.  This  little  change  had  the  ap 
pearance  of  something  like  success,  and  it  greatly  encou 
raged  the  corporal.  He  began  to  think  it  even  possible  to 
make  a  retreat  that  would  be  as  honourable  as  any  victory. 

"  Steady — keep  shoulder  to  shoulder,  Parson  Amen,  and 
take  care  of  your  flank.  Our  movement  must  be  by  our 
left  flank,  and  everything  depends  on  keeping  that  clear 
I  shall  have  to  give  you  my  baggonet,  for  you  're  entirely 
without  arms,  which  leaves  my  rear  altogether  exposed." 

"Think  nothing  of  your  arms,  Brother  Flint  —  they 
would  be  useless  in  my  hands,  in  any  case;  and,  were  we 
made  of  rnuskets,  they  could  be  of  no  use  against  these 
odds.  My  means  of  defence  come  from  on  high ;  my 
armour  is  faith ;  and  my  only  weapon,  prayer.  I  shall  not 
hesitate  to  use  the  last  on  this,  as  on  all  other  occasions." 

The  missionary  then  called  on  the  circle  of  curious  sa 
vages  by  whom  he  was  surrounded,  and  who  certainly  con 
templated  nothing  less  than  his  death,  in  common  with 
those  of  all  his  white  companions,  to  unite  with  him  in  ad 
dressing  the  throne  of  Grace.  Accustomed  to  preach  and 
pray  to  these  people  in  their  own  dialect,  the  worthy  parson 
made  a  strong  appeal  to  their  charities,  while  supplicating 
the  favours  of  Divine  Providence  in  behalf  of  himself  and 
his  brother  captive.  He  asked  for  all  the  usual  benedic 
tions  and  blessings  on,  his  enemies,  and  made  a  very  happy 
exposition  of  those  sublime  dogmas  of  Christianity,  which 
teach  us  to  "  bless  them  that  curse  us,"  and  to  "  pray  for 
those  who  despitefully  use  us."  Peter,  for  the  first  time  in 
his  life,  was  now  struck  with  the  moral  beauty  of  such  a 
sentiment,  which  seldom  fails,  when  duly  presented,  of  pro 
ducing  an  effect  on  even  the  dullest  minds.  His  curiosity  was 
touched,  and  instead  of  turning  coldly,  as  had  been  his  in 
tention,  and  leaving  the  captives  in  the  hands  of  those  to 
whom  he  had  delivered  them,  he  remained  in  the  circle, 
and  paid  the  closest  attention  to  all  of  the  proceedings. 
He  had  several  times  previously  heard  the  missionary  speak 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  359 

of  this  duty  as  a  command  of  God's,  but  never  before  had 
he  deemed  it  possible  to  realize  such  a  thing  in  practice. 

The  Indians,  if  not  absolutely  awe-struck  by  the  singular 
spectacle  before  them,  seemed  well  disposed  to  let  the  mis 
sionary  finish  his  appeal ;  some  wondering,  others  doubting, 
and  all  more  or  less  at  a  loss  to  know  what  to  make  of  an 
exhibition  so  unusual.  There  stood  the  corporal,  with  his 
back  pressed  closely  to  that  of  his  companion,  his  musket 
at  "  make  ready,"  and  his  whole  mien  that  of  a  man  with 
every  nerve  screwed  to  the  sticking  point;  while  the  mis 
sionary,  the  other  side  of  the  picture,  with  outstretched 
arms  was  lifting  his  voice  in  prayer  to  the  throne  of  the 
Most  High.  As  this  extraordinary  scene  continued,  the 
corporal  grew  excited ;  and  ere  long  his  voice  was  occa 
sionally  heard,  blended  with  that  of  the  clergyman,  in  terms 
of  advice  and  encouragement. 

"  Blaze  away,  Mr.  Amen,"  shouted  the  soldier.  "  Give 
'em  another  volley — you  're  doing  wonders,  and  their  front 
has  given  ground  !  One  more  such  volley  as  the  last,  and 
we  '11  make  a  forward  movement,  ourselves — attention  ! — 
prepare  to  march  by  the  left  flank,  as  soon  as  there  is  a 
good  opening !" 

That  good  opening,  however,  was  never  made.  The 
savages,  though  astonished,  were  by  no  means  frightened, 
and  had  not  the  smallest  idea  of  letting  their  captives 
escape.  On  the  contrary,  Bear's  Meat,  who  acted  as  corn- 
mander-in-chief  on  this  occasion,  was  quite  self-possessed, 
and  so  far  from  being  impressed  with  the  missionary's 
prayer,  he  listened  to  it  only  in  the  hope  of  hearing  some 
admission  of  weakness  escape.  But  the  excitement  of  the 
corporal  soon  produced  a  crisis.  His  attempts  to  make  a 
movement  "  by  the  left  flank,"  caused  his  column  of  de 
fence  to  be  broken,  arid  obtaining  no  assistance  from  Par 
son  Amen,  who  was  still  pouring  out  his  soul  in  prayer, 
while  endeavouring  to  bring  things  back  to  their  original 
state,  he  suddenly  found  himself  surrounded  and  disarmed. 
From  that  instant,  the  corporal  changed  his  tactics.  So 
long  as  he  was  armed,  and  comparatively  free,  he  had  be 
thought  him  only  of  the  means  of  resistance ;  now  that 
these  were  denied  him,  he  submitted,  and  summoned  all 
his  resolution  to  bear  the  penalties  of  his  captivity,  in  a 


360  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

manner  that  might  not  do  discredit  to  his  regiment.  Thia 
was  the  third  time  that  Corporal  Flint  had  been  a  prisoner 
among  the  Indians,  and  he  was  not  now  to  learn  the  na 
ture  of  their  tender  mercies.  His  forebodings  were  not 
of  the  most  pleasant  character ;  but  that  which  could  not 
be  helped,  he  was  disposed  to  bear  with  manly  fortitude. 
His  greatest  concern,  at  that  fearful  moment,  was  for  the 
honour  of  his  corps. 

All  this  time,  Parson  Amen  continued  his  prayer.  So 
completely  was  his  spirit  occupied  with  the  duty  of  offering 
up  his  petition,  that  he  was  utterly  unconscious  of  what 
else  had  passed ;  nor  had  he  heard  one  of  the  corporal's 
appeals  for  "  attention,"  and  to  be  "  steady,"  and  to  march 
"  by  the  left  flank."  In  a  word,  the  whole  man  was  intent 
on  prayer;  and  when  thus  employed,  a  six-pounder  dis 
charged  in  the  circle,  would  hardly  have  disconcerted  him. 
He  persevered,  therefore,  uninterrupted  by  his  conquerors, 
until  he  concluded  in  his  own  way.  Having  thus  fortified 
his  soul,  and  asked  for  succour  where  he  had  now  so  long 
been  accustomed  to  seek  and  to  find  it,  the  worthy  mis 
sionary  took  his  seat  quietly  on  a  Jog,  on  which  the  cor 
poral  had  been  previously  placed  by  his  captors. 

The  time  had  arrived  for  the  chiefs  to  proceed  in  the 
execution  of  their  purposes.  Peter,  profoundly  struck  with 
the  prayers  of  the  missionary  in  behalf  of  his'enemies,  had 
taken  a  station  a  little  on  one  side,  where  he  stood  rumi 
nating  on  what  he  had  just  heard.  If  ever  precept  bore  the 
stamp  of  a  divine  origin,  it  is  this.  The  more  we  reflect 
on  it,  the  clearer  do  our  perceptions  of  this  truth  become. 
The  whole  scheme  of  Christ's  redemption  and  future  ex 
istence  is  founded  in  love,  and  such  a  system  would  be 
imperfect  while  any  were  excluded  from  its  benefits.  To 
love  those  who  reciprocate  our  feelings  is  so  very  natural, 
that  the  sympathies  which  engender  this  feeling,  are  soonest 
attracted  by  a  knowledge  of  their  existence;  love  producing 
love,  as  power  increases  power.  But  to  love  those  who 
hate  us,  and  to  strive  to  do  good  to  those  who  are  plotting 
evil  against  ourselves,  greatly  exceeds  the  moral  strength 
of  man,  unaided  from  above.  This  was  the  idea  that  puz 
zled  Peter,  and  he  now  actually  interrupted  the  proceedings, 
in  order  to  satisfy  his  mind  on  a  subject  so  totally  new  to 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  361 

him  Previously,  however,  to  taking  this  step,  he  asked 
the  permission  of  the  principal  chiefs,  awakening  in  their 
bosoms,  by  means  of  his  explanations,  some  of  the  interest 
in  this  subject  that  he  felt  himself. 

"  Brother  medicine-man,"  said  the  mysterious  chief, 
drawing  nearer  to  the  missionary,  accompanied  himself  by 
Bear's  Meat,  Crowsfeather,  and  one  or  two  more,  "  you 
have  been  talking  to  the  Great  Spirit  of  the  pale-faces.  We 
have  heard  your  words,  and  think  them  well.  They  are 
good  words  for  a  man  about  to  set  out  on  the  path  that  leads 
to  the  unknown  lands.  Thither  we  must  all  go  some  time, 
and  it  matters  little  when.  We  may  not  all  travel  the  same 
path.  I  do  not  think  the  Manitou  will  crowd  tribes  of  dif 
ferent  colours  together,  there,  as  they  are  getting  to  be 
crowded  together,  here. 

"  Brother,  you  are  about  to  learn  how  all  these  things 
really  are.  If  red  men,  and  pale-faces,  and  black  men  are 
to  live  in  the  same  land,  after  death,  you  will  shortly  know 
it.  My  brother  is  about  to  go  there.  He  and  his  friend, 
this  warrior  of  his  people,  will  travel  on  that  long  path  in 
company.  I  hope  they  will  agree  by  the  way,  and  not 
trouble  each  other.  It  will  be  convenient  to  my  brother  to 
have  a  hunter  with  him;  the  path  is  so  long,  he  will  be 
hungry  before  he  gets  to  the  end.  This  warrior  knows  how 
to  use  a  musket,  and  we  shall  put  his  arms  with  him  in  his 
grave. 

"  Brother,  before  you  start  on  this  journey,  from  which 
no  traveller  ever  returns,  let  his  colour  be  what  it  may,  we 
wish  to  hear  you  speak  further  about  loving  our  enemies. 
This  is  not  the  Indian  rule.  The  red  men  hate  their  ene 
mies,  and  love  their  friends.  When  they  ask  the  Manitou 
to  do  anything  to  their  enemies,  it  is  to  do  them  harm. 
This  is  what  our  fathers  taught  us :  it  is  what  we  teach  our 
children.  Why  should  we  love  them  that  hate  us?  why 
should  we  do  good  to  them  that  do  us  harm  ?  Tell  us  now, 
or  we  may  never  hear  the  reason." 

"  Tell  you  I  will,  Peter,  and  the  Lord  so  bless  my  words, 
that  they  may  soften  your  hearts,  and  lead  you  all  to  the 
truth,  and  to  dependence  on  the  mediation  of  his  blessed 
Son !  We  should  do  good  to  them  that  do  evil  to  us,  be 
cause  the  Great  Spirit  has  commanded  us  so  to  do.  Ask 
31 


THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

your  own  heart  if  this  is  not  right?  If  they  sound  like 
words  that  are  spoken  by  any  but  those  who  have  been 
taught  by  the  Manitou,  himself?  The  devils  tell  us  to  re 
venge,  but  God  commands  us  to  forgive.  It  is  easy  to  do 
good  to  them  that  do  good  to  us ;  but  it  tries  the  heari 
sorely  to  do  good  to  them  that  do  us  evil.  I  have  spoken 
to  you  of  the  Son  of  the  Great  Spirit.  He  cams  on  earth, 
and  told  us  with  his  own  mouth  all  these  great  truths;  he 
said  that  next  to  the  duty  of  loving  the  Manitou,  was  the 
duty  of  loving  our  neighbours.  No  matter  whether  friend 
or  enemy;  it  was  our  duty  to  love  them,  and  do  them  all  the 
good  we  can.  If  there  is  no  venison  in  their  wigwams, 
we  should  take  the  deer  from  off  our  own  poles,  and  carry  it 
and  put  on  theirs.  Why  have  I  come  here  to  tell  you  this1? 
When  at  home,  I  lived  under  a  good  roof,  eat  of  abundance, 
and  slept  in  a  soft  and  warm  bed.  You  know  how  it  is 
here.  We  do  not  know  to-day  what  we  shall  eat  to-morrow 
Our  beds  are  hard,  and  our  roofs  are  of  bark.  I  come, 
because  the  Son  of  the  Manitou,  he  who  came  and  lived 
among  men,  told  us  to  do  all  this.  His  commands  to  his 
medicine-rnen  were,  to  go  forth,  and  tell  all  nations,  and 
tribes,  and  colours,  the  truth  —  to  tell  them  to  'love  them 
that  sought  to  do  them  harm,  and  to  do  good  for  evil.'  " 

Parson  Amen  pausing  a  moment  to  take  breath,  Ungque, 
who  detected  the  wavering  of  Peter's  mind,  and  who  acted 
far  more  in  opposition  to  the  mysterious  and  tribeless  chief 
than  from  any  other  motive,  profited  by  the  occasion  thus 
afforded  to  speak.  Without  this  pause,  however,  the  breed 
ing  of  an  Indian  would  have  prevented  any  interruption. 

"  I  open  my  mouth  to  speak,"  said  The  Weasel,  in  his 
humblest  manner.  "  What  I  say  is  not  fit  for  the  wise 
chiefs  to  hear.  It  is  foolish,  but  my  mind  tells  me  to  say 
it.  Does  the  medicine-man  of  the  pale-faces  tell  us  that 
the  Son  of  the  Great  Spirit  came  upon  earth,  arid  lived 
among  men?" 

"I  do;  such  is  our  belief;  and  the  religion  we  believe 
and  teach  cometh  directly  from  his  mouth." 

"Let  the  medicine-man  tell  the  chiefs  how  long  the  Son 
of  the  Great  Spirit  stayed  on  earth,  and  which  way  he  went 
when  he  left  it?" 

Now,  this  question  was  put  by  Ungque  through  profound 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  363 

dissimulation.  He  had  heard  of  the  death  of  Christ,  and 
had  obtained  some  such  idea  of  the  great  sacrifice,  as  would 
be  apt  to  occur  to  the  mind  of  a  savage.  He  foresaw  that 
the  effect  of  the  answer  would  be  very  likely  to  destroy 
most  of  the  influence  that  the  missionary  had  just  been 
building  up,  by  means  of  his  doctrine  and  his  prayers 
Parson  Amen  was  a  man  of  singular  simplicity  of  cha 
racter,  but  he  had  his  misgivings  touching  the  effect  of  this 
reply.  Still,  he  did  not  scruple  about  giving  it,  or  attempt 
in  any  manner  to  mystify  or  to  deceive. 

"  It  is  a  humiliating  and  sad  story,  my  brethren,  and  one 
that  ought  to  cause  all  heads  to  be  bowed  to  the  earth  in 
shame,"  he  answered.  "  The  Son  of  the  Great  Spirit  came 
among  men;  he  did  nothing  but  good;  told  those  who 
heard  him  how  to  live  and  how  to  die.  In  return  for  all 
this,  wicked  and  unbelieving  men  put  him  to  death.  After 
death  his  body  was  taken  up  into  Heaven — the  region  of 
departed  spirits,  and  the  dwelling-place  of  his  Father, 
where  he  now  is,  waiting  for  the  time  when  he  is  to  returo 
to  the  earth,  to  reward  the  good  and  to  punish  the  wicked 
That  time  will  surely  come ;  nor  do  I  believe  the  day  to  be 
very  distant." 

The  chiefs  listened  to  this  account  with  grave  attention. 
Some  of  them  had  heard  outlines  of  the  same  history  be 
fore.  Accounts  savouring  of  the  Christian  history  *had 
got  blended  with  some  of  their  own  traditions,  most  pro 
bably  the  fruits  of  the  teachings  of  the  earlier  missionaries, 
but  were  so  confused  and  altered,  as  to  be  scarcely  suscep 
tible  of  being  recognised.  To  most  of  them,  however,  the 
history  of  the  incarnation  of  the  Son  of  God  was  entirely 
new;  and  it  struck  them  as  a  most  extraordinary  thing  al 
together,  that  any  man  should  have  injured  such  a  being! 
It  was,  perhaps,  singular  that  no  one  of  them  all  doubted 
the  truth  of  the  tradition  itself.  This  they  supposed  to 
have  been  transmitted  with  the  usual  care,  and  they  re 
ceived  it  as  a  fact  not  to  be  disputed.  The  construction 
that  was  put  on  its  circumstances  will  best  appear  in  the 
remarks  that  followed. 

"  If  the  pale-faces  killed  the  Son  of  the  Great  Spirit," 
said  Bough  of  the  Oak,  pointedly,  "  we  can  see  why  they 
wish  to  drive  the  red  men  from  their  lands.  Evil  spirits 


364  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

dwell  in  such  men,  and  they  do  nothing  but  what  is  bad. 
I  am  glad  that  our  great  chief  has  told  us  to  put  the  foot 
on  this  worm  and  crush  it,  while  yet  the  Indian  foot  is  large 
enough  to  do  it.  In  a  few  winters  they  would  kill  us,  as 
they  killed  the  Spirit  that  did  them  nothing  but  good !" 

"  I  am  afraid  that  this  mighty  tradition  hath  a  mystery 
in  it  that  your  Indian  minds  will  scarcely  be  willing  to  re 
ceive,"  resumed  the  missionary,  earnestly.  "  I  would  not, 
for  a  thousand  worlds,  or  to  save  ten  thousand  lives  as  worth 
less  as  my  own,  place  a  straw  in  the  way  of  the  faith  of 
any;  yet  must  I  tell  the  thing  as  it  happened.  This  Son  of 
the  Great  Spirit  was  certainly  killed  by  the  Jews  of  that  day, 
so  far  as  he  could  be  killed.  He  possessed  two  natures,  as 
indeed  do  all  men;  the  body  and  soul.  In  his  body,  he 
was  man,  as  we  all  are  men ;  in  his  soul  he  was  a  part  of 
the  Great  Spirit  himself.  This  is  the  great  mystery  of  our 
religion.  We  cannot  tell  how  it  can  happen,  but  we  be 
lieve  it.  We  see  around  us  a  thousand  things  that  we 
cannot  understand,  and  this  is  one  of  them." 

Here  Bear's  Meat  availed  himself  of  another  pause,  to 
make  a  remark.  This  he  did  with  the  keenness  of  one 
accustomed  to  watch  words  and  events  closely,  but  with  a 
simplicity  that  showed  no  vulgar  disposition  to  scepticism. 

"  We  do  not  expect  that  all  the  Great  Spirit  does  can  be 
clear  to  us  Indians,"  he  said.  "  We  know  very  little;  he 
knows  everything.  Why  should  we  think  to  know  all  that 
he  knows?  We  do  not.  That  part  of  the  tradition  gives 
us  no  trouble.  Indians  can  believe  without  seeing.  They 
are  not  squaws,  that  wish  to  look  behind  every  bush.  But 
my  brother  has  told  too  much  for  his  own  good.  If  the 
pale-faces  killed  their  Great  Spirit,  they  can  have  no  Ma- 
nitou,  and  must  be  in  the  hands  of  the  Evil  Spirit.  This 
is  the  reason  they  want  our  hunting-grounds.  I  will  not 
let  them  come  any  nearer  to  the  setting  sun.  It  is  time  to 
begin  to  kill  them,  as  they  killed  their  Great  Spirit.  The 
Jews  did  this.  My  brother  wishes  us  to  think  that  red  men 
are  Jews!  No;  red  men  never  harmed  the  Son  of  the 
Great  Spirit.  They  would  receive  him  as  a  friend,  and 
treat  him  as  a  chief.  Accursed  be  the  hand  that  should 
be  raised  to  harm  him.  This  tradition  is  a  wise  tradition. 
It  tells  us  many  things.  It  tells  us  that  Injins  are  not 


THE    OAK     OPENINGS.  365 

Jews.  They  never  hurt  the  Son  of  the  Great  Spirit.  It 
tells  us  that  the  red  men  have  always  lived  on  these  hunt 
ing-grounds,  and  did  not  come  from  towards  the  rising  sun. 
It  tells  us  that  pale-faces  are  not  fit  to  live.  They  are  too 
wicked.  Let  them  die." 

"  I  would  ask  a  question,"  put  in  Peter.  "  This  tradi 
tion  is  not  new.  I  have  heard  it  before.  It  entered  but  a 
little  way  into  my  ears.  I  did  not  think  of  it.  It  has  now 
entered  deeper;  and  I  wish  to  hear  more.  Why  did  not 
the  Son  of  the  Great  Spirit  kill  the  Jews? — why  did  he 
let  the  Jews  kill  him?  Will  my  brother  say? 

"  He  came  on  earth  to  die  for  man,  whose  wickedness 
was  so  deep,  that  the  Great  Spirit's  justice  could  not  be 
satisfied  with  less.  Why  this  is  so,  no  one  knows.  It  is 
enough  that  it  should  be  so.  Instead  of  thinking  of  doing 
harm  to  his  tormentors  and  murderers,  he  died  for  them, 
and  died  asking  for  benefits  on  them,  and  on  their  wives 
and  children,  for  all  time  to  come.  It  was  he  who  com 
manded  us  to  do  good  to  them  that  do  harm  to  us." 

Peter  gave  the  utmost  attention  to  this  answer,  and  when 
he  had  received  it,  he  walked  apart,  musing  profoundly. 
It  is  worthy  of  being  observed,  that  not  one  of  these  sa 
vages  raised  any  hollow  objections  to  the  incarnation  of  the 
Son  of  the  Great  Spirit,  as  would  have  been  the  case  with 
so  many  civilized  men.  To  them  this  appeared  no  more 
difficult  and  incomprehensible  than  most  of  that  which 
they  saw  around  them.  It  is  when  we  begin  to  assume  the 
airs  of  philosophy,  and  to  fancy,  because  we  know  a  little, 
that  the  whole  book  of  knowledge  is  within  our  grasp,  that 
men  become  sceptics.  There  is  not  a  human  being  now  in 
existence  who  does  not  daily,  hourly  see  that  which  is  just 
as  much  beyond  his  powers  of  comprehension,  as  this  ac 
count  of  the  incarnation  of  the  Deity,  and  the  whole  doc 
trine  of  the  Trinity ;  and  yet  he  acquiesces  in  that  which 
is  before  his  eyes,  because  it  is  familiar  and  he  sees  it, 
while  he  cavils  at  all  else,  though  the  same  unknown  and 
inexplicable  cause  lies  behind  everything.  The  deepest 
philosophy  is  soon  lost  in  this  general  mystery,  and,  to  the 
eye  of  a  meek  reason,  all  around  us  is  a  species  of  miracle, 
which  must  be  referred  to  the  power  of  the  Deity. 

While  thus  disposed  to  receive  the  pale-face  traditions 
31* 


366  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

wivh  respect,  however,  the  red  men  did  not  lose  sight  of 
their  own  policy  and  purposes.  The  principal  chiefs  now 
stepped  aside,  and  held  a  brief  council.  Though  invited 
to  do  so,  Peter  did  not  join  them  ;  leaving  to  B-»ugh  of  the 
Oak,  Ungque  and  Bear's  Meat  the  control  of  the  result.  The 
question  was,  whether  the  original  intention  of  including 
this  medicine-priest  among  those  to  be  cut  off,  should,  or 
should  not,  be  adhered  to.  One  or  two  of  the  chiefs  had 
their  doubts,  but  the  opinion  of  the  council  was  adverse. 

"  If  the  pale-faces  killed  the  Son  of  their  Great  Spirit, 
why  should  we  hesitate  about  killing  them?"  the  Weasel 
asked,  with  malicious  point,  for  he  saw  that  Peter  was  now 
sorely  troubled  at  the  probability  of  his  own  design  being 
fully  carried  out.  "  There  is  no  difference.  This  is  6 
medicine-priest  —  in  the  wigwam  is  a  medicine-bee-hunter, 
and  that  warrior  may  be  a  medicine-warrior.  We  do  not 
know.  We  are  poor  Injins  that  know  but  little.  It  is  not 
so  with  the  pale-faces :  they  talk  with  the  conjurer's  bees, 
and  know  much.  We  shall  not  have  ground  enough  to  take 
even  a  muskrat,  soon,  unless  we  cut  off  the  strangers.  The 
Manitou  has  given  us  these;  let  us  kill  them." 

As  no  one  very  strenuously  opposed  the  scheme,  the 
question  was  soon  decided,  and  Ungque  was  commissioned 
to  communicate  the  result  to  the  captives.  One  exception, 
however,  was  to  be  made  in  favour  of  the  missionary.  His 
object  appeared  to  be  peaceful,  and  it  was  determined  that 
he  should  be  led  a  short  distance  into  the  surrounding  thick 
et,  and  be  there  put  to  death,  without  any  attempt  to  tor 
ture,  or  aggravate  his  sufferings.  As  a  mark  of  singular 
respect,  it  was  also  decided  not  to  scalp  him. 

As  Ungque,  and  those  associated  with  him,  led  the  mis 
sionary  to  the  place  of  execution,  the  former  artfully  invited 
Peter  to  follow.  This  was  done  simply  because  the  Weasel 
saw  that  it  would  now  be  unpleasant  to  the  man  he  hated 
—  hated,  merely  because  he  possessed  an  influence  that 
he  coveted  for  himself. 

"  My  father  will  see  a  pleasant  sight,"  said  the  wily 
Weasel,  as  he  walked  at  Peter's  side,  towards  the  indicated 
spot;  "  he  will  see  a  pale-face  die,  and  know  that  his  foot 
has  been  put  upon  another  worm." 

No  answer  was  made  to  this  ironical  remark,  but  Peter 


THE     OAK    OPENINGS.  367 

walked  it  silence  to  the  place  where  the  missionary  was 
stationed,  surrounded  by  a  guard.  Ungquenow  advanced, 
•ind  spoke. 

"  It  is  time  for  the  medicine-priest  of  the  pale-faces  to  start 
after  the  spirits  of  his  people  who  have  gone  before  him," 
he  said.  "  The  path  is  long,  and  unless  he  walks  fast,  and 
starts  soon,  he  may  not  overtake  them.  I  hope  he  wiii  see 
some  of  them  that  helped  to  kill  the  Son  of  his  Great  Spirit, 
starving,  and  foot-sore,  on  the  way." 

"  I  understand  you,"  returned  the  missionary,  after  a  few 
moments  passed  in  recovering  from  the  shock  of  this  com 
munication.  "  My  hour  is  come.  I  have  held  my  life  in 
my  hand  ever  since  I  first  put  foot  in  this  heathen  region, 
and  if  it  be  the  Creator's  will  that  I  am  now  to  die,  I  bow 
to  the  decree.  Grant  me  a  few  minutes  for  prayer  to  my 
God." 

Ungque  signed  that  the  delay  should  be  granted.  The 
missionary  uncovered  his  head,  knelt,  and  again  lifted  up 
his  voice  in  prayer.  At  first  the  tones  were  a  little  tremu 
lous ;  but  they  grew  firmer  as  he  proceeded.  Soon  the) 
became  as  serene  as  usual.  He  first  asked  mercy  for  him 
self,  threw  all  his  hopes  on  the  great  atonement,  and  con 
fessed  how  far  he  was  from  that  holiness  which  alone  could 
fit  him  to  see  God.  When  this  duty  was  performed,  he 
prayed  for  his  enemies.  The  language  used  was  his  mother 
tongue,  but  Peter  comprehended  most  of  that  which  was 
said.  He  heard  his  own  people  prayed  for;  he  heard  his 
own  name  mentioned,  as  the  condemned  man  asked  the 
mercy  of  the  Manitou  in  his  behalf.  Never  before  was  the 
soul  of  this  extraordinary  savage  so  shaken.  The  past 
seemed  like  a  dream  to  him,  while  the  future  possessed  a 
light  that  was  still  obscured  by  clouds.  Here  was  an  ex 
emplification  in  practice  of  that  divine  spirit  of  love  and 
benevolence  which  had  struck  him,  already,  as  so  very 
wonderful.  There  could  be  no  mistake.  There  was  the 
kneeling  captive,  and  his  words,  clear,  distinct,  and  im 
ploring,  ascended  through  the  cover  of  the  bushes  to  the 
throne  of  God. 

As  soon  as  the  voice  of  the  missionary  was  mute,  the 
mysterious  chief  bowed  his  head  and  moved  away.  He 
was  then  powerless.  No  authority  of  his  could  save  the 


368  THE    OAK     pPEKINGS. 

captive,  and  the  sight  that  so  lately  would  have  cheered  h» 
eyes,  was  now  too  painful  to  bear.  He  heard  the  single 
blow  of  the  tomahawk  which  brained  the  victim,  and  "he 
shuddered  from  head  to  foot.  It  was  the  first  time  such  a 
weakness  had  ever  come  over  him.  As  for  the  missionary, 
in  deference  to  his  pursuits,  his  executioners  dug  him  a 
^rave,  and  buried  him  unmutilated  on  the  spot  where  he 
iitd  fallen. 


CHAPTEE  XXV. 

Brutal  alike  in  deed  and  word, 

With  callous  heart  and  hand  of  strife. 
How  like  a  fiend  may  man  be  made, 
Plying  the  foul  and  monstrous  trade 
Whose  harvest-field  is  human  life. 

WHITTIEB. 

A  TEIL  like  that  of  oblivion,  dropped  before  the  form  of 
the  missionary.  The  pious  persons  who  had  sent  him  forth 
to  preach  to  the  heathen,  never  knew  his  fate  j  a  disap 
pearance  that  was  so  common  to  that  class  of  devoted  men, 
as  to  produce  regret  rather  than  surprise.  Even  those 
who  took  his  life,  felt  a  respect  for  him ;  and,  strange  as 
it  may  seem,  it  was  to  the  eloquence  of  the  man  who  now 
would  have  died  to  save  him,  that  his  death  was  alone  to 
be  attributed.  Peter  had  awakened  fires  that  he  could  not 
quench,  and  aroused  a  spirit  that  he  could  not  quell.  In 
this  respect,  he  resembled  most  of  those  who,  under  the 
guise  of  reform,  or  revolution,  in  moments  of  doubt,  set  in 
motion  a  machine  that  is  found  impossible  to  control,  when 
it  is  deemed  expedient  to  check  exaggeration  by  reason. 
Such  is  often  the  case  with  even  well-intentioned  leaders, 
who  constantly  are  made  to  feel  how  much  easier  it  is  to 
light  a  conflagration,  than  to  stay  its  flames  when  raging. 

Corporal  Flint  was  left  seated  on  the  log,  while  the  bloody 
scene  of  the  missionary's  death  was  occurring.  He  was 
fully  alive  to  all  the  horrors  of  his  own  situation,  and 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  369 

comprehended  the  nature  of  his  companion's  movements. 
The  savages  usually  manifested  so  much  respect  for  mis- 
sionaries,  that  he  was  in  no  degree  surprised.  Parson 
Amen  had  been  taken  apart  for  his  execution,  and  when 
those  who  had  caused  his  removal  returned,  the  corporal 
looked  anxiously  for  the  usual  but  revolting  token  of  his 
late  companion's  death.  As  has  been  said,  however,  the 
missionary  was  suffered  to  lie  in  his  wild  grave,  without 
suffering  a  mutilation  of  his  remains. 

Notwithstanding  this  moderation,  the  Indians  were  getting 
to  be  incited  by  this  taste  of  blood.  The  principal  chiefs 
became  sterner  in  their  aspects,  and  the  young  men  began  to 
manifest  some  such  impatience  as  that  which  the  still  untried 
pup  betrays,  when  he  first  scents  his  game.  All  these  were 
ominous  symptoms,  and  were  well  understood  by  the  cap 
tive. 

Perhaps,  it  would  not  have  been  possible  in  the  whole 
range  of  human  feelings,  to  find  two  men  under  influ 
ences  more  widely  opposed  to  each  other,  than  were  the 
missionary  and  the  corporal,  in  this  their  last  scene  on 
earth.  The  manner  of  Parson  Amen's  death  has  been 
described.  He  died  in  humble  imitation  of  his  Divine 
Master,  asking  for  blessings  on  those  who  were  about  to 
destroy  him,  with  a  heart  softened  by  Christian  graces,  and 
a  meekness  that  had  its  origin  in  the  consciousness  of  his 
own  demerits.  On  the  other  hand,  the  corporal  thought 
only  of  vengeance.  Escape,  he  knew  to  be  impossible, 
and  he  would  fain  take  his  departure  like  a  soldier,  or  as  he 
conceived  a  soldier  should  die  in  the  midst  of  fallen  foes. 

Corporal  Flint  had  a  salutary  love  of  life,  and  would 
very  gladly  escape,  did  the  means  offer ;  but,  failing  of  these, 
all  his  thoughts  turned  towards  revenge.  Some  small  im 
pulses  of  ambition,  or  what  it  is  usual  to  dignify  with  that 
term,  showed  themselves  even  at  that  serious  moment. 
He  had  heard  around  the  camp-fires,  and  in  the  garrisons, 
so  many  tales  of  heroism  and  of  fortitude  manifested  by 
soldiers  who  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  Indians,  that 
a  faint  desire  to  enrol  his  own  name  on  the  list  of  these 
worthies,  was  beginning  to  arise  in  his  breast.  But,  truth 
compels  us  to  add,  that  the  predominant  feeling  was  the 
wish  to  revenge  his  own  fate,  by  immolating  as  many  of 


370  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

his  foes  as  possible.  To  this  last  purpose,  therefore,  hia 
thoughts  were  mainly  directed,  during  that  interval  which 
his  late  companion  had  employed  in  prayers  for  those  under 
whose  blows  he  was  about  to  fall.  Such  is  the  difference 
in  man,  with  his  heart  touched,  or  untouched,  by  the  power 
of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

It  was,  however,  much  easier  for  the  corporal  to  enter 
tain  designs  of  the  nature  mentioned,  than  to  carry  them 
out :  unarmed,  surrounded  by  watchful  enemies,  and  totally 
without  support  of  any  sort,  the  chances  of  affecting  his 
purpose  were  small  indeed.  Once,  for  a  minute  only,  the 
veteran  seriously  turned  his  thoughts  to  escape.  It  oc 
curred  to  him,  that  he  might  possibly  reach  the  castle, 
could  he  get  a  little  start;  and  should  the  Indians  compel 
him  to  run  the  gauntlet,  as  was  often  their  practice,  he 
determined  to  make  an  effort  for  life  in  that  mode.  Agree 
ably  to  the  code  of  frontier  warfare,  a  successful  flight  of 
this  nature,  was  scarcely  less  creditable  than  a  victory  in 
the  field. 

Half  an  hour  passed  after  the  execution  of  the  Mission 
ary,  before  the  chiefs  commenced  their  proceedings  with 
the  corporal.  The  delay  was  owing  to  a  consultation,  in 
which  the  Weasel  had  proposed  despatching  a  party  to  the 
castle,  to  bring  in  the  family,  and  thus  make  a  common 
destruction  of  the  remaining  pale-faces,  known  to  be  in 
that  part  of  the  Openings.  Peter  did  not  dare  to  oppose 
this  scheme,  himself;  but  he  so  managed  as  to  get  Crows- 
feather  to  do  it,  without  bringing  himself  into  the  fore 
ground.  The  influence  of  the  Pott.awattamie  prevailed, 
and  it  was  decided  to  torture  this  one  captive,  and  to  secure 
his  scalp,  before  they  proceeded  to  work  their  will  on  the 
others.  Ungque,  who  had  gained  ground  rapidly  by  hia 
late  success,  was  once  more  commissioned  to  state  to  the 
captive  the  intentions  of  his  captors. 

"  Brother,"  commenced  the  Weasel,  placing  himself 
directly  in  front  of  the  corporal,  "  I  am  about  to  speak  to 
you.  A  wise  warrior  opens  his  ears,  when  he  hears  the 
voice  of  his  enemy.  He  may  learn  something,  it  will  be 
good  for  him  to  know.  It  will  be  good  for  you  to  know 
what  I  am  about  to  say. 

"  Brother,  you  are  a.  pale-face,  and  we  are  Injins.     You 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  371 

wish  to  get  our  hunting-grounds,  and  we  wish  to  keep  them. 
To  keep  them  it  has  become  necessary  to  take  your  scalp. 
I  hope  you  are  ready  to  let  us  have  it." 

The  corporal  had  but  an  indifferent  knowledge  of  the 
Indian  language,  but  he  comprehended  all  that  was  uttered 
on  this  occasion.  Interest  quickened  his  faculties,  and  no 
part  of  what  was  said  was  lost.  The  gentle,  slow,  delibe 
rate  manner  in  which  the  Weasel  delivered  himself,  con 
tributed  to  his  means  of  understanding.  He  was  fortu 
nately  prepared  for  what  he  heard,  and  the  announcement 
of  his  approaching  fate  did  not  disturb  him  to  the  d<jgree 
of  betraying  weakness.  This  last  was  a  triumph  in  which 
the  Indians  delighted,  though  they  ever  showed  the  most 
profound  respect  for  such  of  their  victims  as  manifested  a 
manly  fortitude.  It  was  necessary  to  reply,  which  the  cor 
poral  did  in  English,  knowing  that  several  present  could 
interpret  his  words.  With  a  view  to  render  this  the  more 
easy,  he  spoke  in  fragments  of  sentences,  and  with  great 
deliberation. 

"  Injins,"  returned  the  corporal,  "  you  surrounded  me, 
and  I  have  been  taken  prisoner, — had  there  been  a  platoon 
on  us,  you  might  n't  have  made  out  quite  so  well. — It's  no 
great  victory  for  three  hundred  warriors  to  overcome  a 
single  man. — Icount  Parson  Amen  as  worse  than  nothing, 
for  he  looked  to  neither  rear,  nor  flank. — If  I  could  have 
half  an  hour's  work  upon  you,  with  only  half  of  our  late 
company,  I  think  we  should  lower  your  conceit. — But,  that 
is  impossible,  and  so  you  may  do  just  what  you  please  with 
me. — I  ask  no  favours." 

Although  this  answer  was  very  imperfectly  translated,  it 
awakened  a  good  deal  of  admiration.  A  man  who  could 
look  death  so  closely  in  the  face,  with  so  much  steadiness, 
became  a  sort  of  hero,  in  Indian  eyes ;  and  with  the  North 
American  savage,  fortitude  is  a  virtue  not  inferior  to  cou 
rage.  Murmurs  of  approbation  were  heard,  and  Ungque 
was  privately  requested  to  urge  the  captive  further,  in  order 
to  see  how  far  present  appearances  were  likely  to  be  main 
tained. 

"  Brother,  I  have  said  that  we  are  Injins,"  resumed  the 
Weasel,  with  an  air  so  humble,  and  a  voice  so  meek,  that 
a  stranger  might  have  supposed  he  waft  consoling,  instead 


372  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

of  endeavouring  to  intimidate  the  prisoner.  "  It  is  true, 
We  are  nothing  but  poor,  ignorant  Injins.  We  can  only 
torment  our  prisoners  after  Injin  fashion.  If  we  were 
pale-faces,  we  might  do  better.  We  did  not  torment  the 
medicine-priest.  We  were  afraid  he  would  laugh  at  our 
mistakes.  He  knew  a  great  deal.  We  know  but  little. 
We  do  as  well  as  we  know  how. 

"  Brother,  when  Injins  do  as  well  as  they  know  how,  a 
warrior  should  forget  their  mistakes.  We  wish  to  torment 
you,  in  a  way  to  prove  that  you  are  all  over  man.  We  wish 
BO  to  torment  you,  that  you  will  stand  up  tinder  the  pain  in 
such  a  way,  that  it  will  make  our  young  men  think  your 
mother  was  not  a  squaw  —  that  there  is  no  woman  in  you. 
We  do  this  for  our  own  honour,  as  well  as  for  yours.  It 
will  be  an  honour  to  us  to  have  such  a  captive ;  it  will  be 
an  honour  to  you  to  be  such  a  captive.  We  shall  do  as 
well  as  we  know  how. 

"  Brother,  it  is  most  time  to  begin.  The  tormenting 
will  last  a  long  time.  We  must  not  let  the  medicine-priest 
get  too  great  a  start  on  the  path  to  the  happy  hunting- 
grounds  of  your — " 

Here,  a  most  unexpected  interruption  occurred,  that  e£ 
fectually  put  a  stop  to  the  eloquence  of  Ungque.  In  his 
desire  to  make  an  impression,  the  savage  approached  with 
in  reach  of  the  captive's  arm,  while  his  own  mind  was  in 
tent  on  the  words  that  he  hoped  would  make  the  prisoner 
quail.  The  corporal  kept  his  eye  on  that  of  the  speaker, 
charming  him,  as  it  were,  into  a  riveted  gaze,  in  return. 
Watching  his  opportunity,  he  caught  the  tomahawk  from 
the  Weasel's  belt,  and,  by  a  single  blow,  felled  him  dead 
at  his  feet.  Not  content  with  this,  the  old  soldier  now 
bounded  forward,  striking  right  and  left,  inflicting  six  or 
eight  wounds  on  others,  before  he  could  be  again  arrested, 
disarmed,  and  bound.  While  the  last  was  doing,  Peter 
withdrew,  unobserved. 

Many  were  the  "  hughs"  and  other  exclamations  of  ad 
miration,  that  succeeded  this  display  of  desperate  manhood ! 
The  body  of  the  Weasel  was  removed,  and  interred,  while 
the  wounded  withdrew  to  attend  to  their  hurts ;  leaving  the 
arena  to  the  rest  assembled  there.  As  for  the  corporal,  he 
was  pretty  well  blown,  and,  in  additioi  to  being  now 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  373 

bound,  hand  and  foot,  his  recent  exertions,  which  were 
terrific  while  they  lasted,  effectually  incapacitated  him  from 
making  any  move,  so  long  as  he  was  thus  exhausted  and 
confined. 

A  council  was  now  held  by  the  principal  chiefs.  Ungque 
had  few  friends.  In  this,  he  shared  the  fate  of  most  dema 
gogues,  who  are  commonly  despised  even  by  those  they 
lead  and  deceive.  No  one  regretted  him  much,  and  some 
were  actually  glad  of  his  fate.  But  the  dignity  of  the  con 
querors  must  be  vindicated.  It  would  never  do  to  allow  a 
pale-face  to  obtain  so  great  an  advantage,  and  not  take  a 
signal  vengeance  for  his  deeds.  After  a  long  consultation, 
it  was  determined  to  subject  the  captive  to  the  trial  by 
saplings,  and  thus  see  if  he  could  bear  the  torture  without 
complaining.  As  some  of  our  readers  may  not  understand 
what  this  fell  mode  of  tormenting  is,  it  may  be  necessary 
to  explain. 

There  is  scarcely  a  method  of  inflicting  pain,  that  comes 
within  the  compass  of  their  means,  that  the  North  Ameri 
can  Indians  have  not  essayed  on  their  enemies.  When  the 
infernal  ingenuity  that  is  exercised,  on  these  occasions, 
fails  of  its  effect,  the  captives  themselves  have  been  heard 
to  suggest  other  means  of  torturing  that  they  have  known 
practised  successfully  by  their  own  people.  There  is  often 
a  strange  strife  between  the  tormentors  and  the  tormented; 
the  one  to  manifest  skill  in  inflicting  pain,  and  the  other  to 
manifest  fortitude  in  enduring  it.  As  has  just  been  said, 
quite  as  much  renown  is  often  acquired  by  the  warrior,  in 
setting  all  the  devices  of  his  conquerors  at  defiance,  while 
subject  to  their  hellish  attempts,  as  in  deeds  of  arms.  It 
might  be  more  true  to  say  that  such  was  the  practice 
among  the  Indians,  than  to  say,  at  the  present  time,  that 
euch  is;  for  it  is  certain  that  civilization  in  its  approaches, 
while  it  has  in  many  particulars  even  degraded  the  red 
man,  has  had  a  silent  effect  in  changing  and  mitigating 
many  of  his  fiercer  customs  —  this,  perhaps,  among  the 
rest.  It  is  probable  that  the  more  distant  tribes  still  resort 
to  all  these  ancient  usages ;  but  it  is  both  hoped  and  be 
lieved  that  those  nearer  to  the  whites  do  not. 

The  "  torture  by  saplings"  is  one  of  those  modes  of  in 
flicting  pain,  that  would  naturally  suggest  themselves  to 
32 


374  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

savages.  Yoang  trees  that  do  not  stand  far  apart  are 
trimmed  of  their  branches,  and  brought  nearer  to  each 
other  by  bending  their  bodies ;  the  victim  is  then  attached 
to  both  trunks,  sometimes  by  his  extended  arms,  at  others 
by  his  legs,  or  by  whatever  part  of  the  frame  cruelty  can 
suggest,  when  the  saplings  are  released,  and  permitted  to 
resume  their  upright  positions.  Of  course,  the  sufferer  is 
lifted  from  the  earth,  and  hangs  suspended  by  his  limbs, 
with  a  strain  on  them  that  soon  produces  the  most  intense 
anguish.  The  celebrated  punishment  of  the  "knout"  par 
takes  a  good  deal  of  this  same  character  of  suffering. 
Bough  of  the  Oak  now  approached  the  corporal,  to  let 
him  know  how  high  an  honour  was  in  reserve  for  him. 

"  Brother,"  said  this  ambitious  orator,  "  you  are  a  brave 
warrior.  You  have  done  well.  Not  only  have  you  killed 
one  of  our  chiefs,  but  you  have  wounded  several  of  our 
young  men.  No  one  but  a  brave  could  have  done  this. 
You  have  forced  us  to  bind  you,  lest  you  might  kill  some 
more.  It  is  not  often  that  captives  do  this.  Your  courage 
has  caused  us  to  consult  how  we  might  best  torture  you,  in 
a  way  most  to  manifest  your  manhood.  After  talking  to 
gether,  the  chiefs  have  decided  that  a  man  of  your  firm 
ness  ought  to  be  hung  between  two  young  trees.  We  have 
found  the  trees,  and  have  cut  off  their  branches.  You  can 
see  them.  If  they  were  a  little  larger  their  force  would  be 
greater,  and  they  would  give  you  more  pain,  would  be 
more  worthy  of  you ;  but  these  are  the  largest  saplings  we 
could  find.  Had  there  been  any  larger,  we  would  have 
let  you  have  them.  We  wish  to  do  you  honour,  for  you 
are  a  bold  warrior,  and  worthy  to  be  well  tormented. 

"  Brother,  look  at  these  saplings  !  They  are  tall  and 
straight.  When  they  are  bent  by  many  hands,  they  will 
come  together.  Take  away  the  hands,  and  they  will  be 
come  straight  again.  Your  arms  must  then  keep  them  to 
gether.  We  wish  we  had  some  pappooses  here,  that  they 
might  shoot  arrows  into  your  flesh.  That  would  help  much 
to  torment  you.  You  cannot  have  this  honour,  for  we  have 
no  pappooses.  We  are  afraid  to  let  our  young  men  shoot 
arrows  into  your  flesh.  They  are  strong,  and  might  kill 
you.  We  wish  you  to  die  between  the  saplings,  as  is  your 
right,  being  so  great  a  brave. 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  375 

"  Brother,  we  think  much  better  of  you,  since  you  killed 
kne  Weasel,  and  hurt  our  young  men.  If  all  your  warriors 
at  Chicago  had  been  as  bold  as  you,  Black-Bird  would  not 
have  taken  that  fort.  You  would  have  saved  many  scalps. 
This  encourages  us.  It  makes  us  think  the  Great  Spirit 
means  to  help  us,  and  that  we  shall  kill  all  of  the  pale 
faces.  When  we  get  further  into  your  settlements,  we  do 
not  expect  to  mee-t  many  such  braves  as  you.  They  tell 
us  we  shall  then  find  men  who  will  run,  and  screech  like 
women.  It  will  not  be  a  pleasure  to  torment  such  men. 
We  had  rather  torment  a  bold  warrior,  like  you,  who 
makes  us  admire  him  for  his  manliness.  We  love  our 
squaws,  but  not  in  the  war-path.  They  are  best  in  the 
lodges ;  here  we  want  nothing  but  men.  You  are  a  man 
— a  brave — we  honour  you.  We  think,  notwithstanding, 
we  shall  yet  make  you  weak.  It  will  not  be  easy,  but  we 
hope  to  do  it.  We  shall  try.  We  may  not  think  quite  sc 
well  of  you,  if  we  do  it;  but  we  shall  always  call  you  a 
brave.  A  man  is  not  a  stone.  We  can  all  feel,  and  when 
we  have  done  all  that  is  in  our  power,  no  one  can  do  more 
It  is  so  with  Injins ;  we  think  it  must  be  so  with  pale-faces 
We  mean  to  try  and  see  how  it  is." 

The  corporal  understood  very  little  of  this  harangue 
though  he  perfectly  comprehended  the  preparations  of  tht 
saplings,  and  Bough  of  the  Oak's  allusions  to  them.  He 
was  in  a  cold  sweat  at  the  thought,  for  resolute  as  he  was, 
he  foresaw  sufferings  that  human  fortitude  could  hardly 
endure.  In  this  state  of  the  case,  and  in  the  frame  of 
mind  he  was  in,  he  had  recourse  to  an  expedient  of  which 
he  had  often  heard,  and  which  he  thought  might  now  be 
practised  to  some  advantage.  It  was  to  open  upon  the 
savages  with  abuse,  and  to  exasperate  them  by  taunts  and 
sarcasm,  to  such  a  degree  as  might  induce  some  of  the 
weaker  members  of  the  tribe  to  dispatch  him  on  the  spot. 
As  the  corporal,  with  the  perspective  of  the  saplings  before 
his  eyes,  manifested  a  good  deal  of  ingenuity,  on  this  oc 
casion,  we  shall  record  some  of  his  efforts. 

"D'ye  call  yourselves  chiefs  and  warriors'?"  he  began, 
upon  a  pretty  high  key.  "I  call  ye  squaws!  There  is 
not  a  man  among  ye.  Dogs  would  be  the  best  name.  You 
are  poor  Injins.  A  long  time  ago,  the  pale-faces  came  here 


376  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

in  two  or  three  little  canoes.  They  were  but  a  handful, 
and  you  were  plentier  than  prairie  wolves.  Your  bark 
could  be  heard  throughout  the  land.  Well,  what  did  this 
handful  of  pale-faces  ?  It  drove  your  fathers  before  them, 
until  they  got  all  the  best  of  the  hunting-grounds.  Not  an 
lajin  of  you  all,  now,  ever  get  down  on  the  shores  of  the 
great  salt-lake,  unless  to  sell  brooms  and  baskets,  and  then 
he  goes  sneaking  like  a  wolf  after  a  sheep.  You  have  for 
gotten  how  clams  and  oysters  taste.  Your  fathers  had  as 
many  of  them  as  they  could  eat ;  but  not  one  of  you  ever 
tasted  them.  The  pale-faces  eat  them  all.  If  an  Injin 
asked  for  one,  they  would  throw  the  shell  at  his  head,  and 
call  him  a  dog. 

"  Do  you  think  that  my  chiefs  would  hang  one  of  you 
between  two  such  miserable  saplings  as  these  1  No !  They 
would  scorn  to  practise  such  pitiful  torture.  They  would 
bring  the  tops  of  two  tall  pines  together,  trees  a  hundred 
and  fifty  feet  high,  and  put  their  prisoner  on  the  topmost 
boughs,  for  the  crows  and  ravens  to  pick  his  eyes  out.  But; 
you  are  miserable  Injins!  You  know  nothing.  If  you 
know'd  any  better,  would  you  act  such  poor  torment  ag'in 
a  great  brave?  I  spit  upon  ye,  and  call  you  squaws.  The 
pale-faces  have  made  women  of  ye.  They  have  taken  out 
your  hearts,  and  put  pieces  of  dog's  flesh  in  their  places." 

Here  the  corporal,  who  delivered  himself  with  an  anima 
tion  suited  to  his  language,  was  obliged  to  pause,  literally 
for  want  of  breath.  Singular  as  it  may  seem,  this  tirade 
excited  great  admiration  among  the  savages.  It  is  true, 
that  very  few  understood  what  was  said ;  perhaps  no  one 
understood  all,  but  the  manner  was  thought  to  be  admi 
rable.  When  some  of  the  language  was  interpreted,  a  deep 
but  smothered  resentment  was  felt ;  more  especially  at  the 
taunts  touching  the  manner  in  which  the  whites  had  over 
come  the  red  men.  Truth  is  hard  to  be  borne,  and  the 
individual,  or  people,  who  will  treat  a  thousand  injurious 
lies  with  contempt,  feel  all  their  ire  aroused  at  one  reproach 
that  has  its  foundation  in  fact.  Nevertheless,  the  anger 
that  the  corporal's  words  did,  in  truth,  awaken,  was  suo 
cessfully  repressed,  and  he  had  the  disappointment  of  seeing 
that  his  life  was  spared  for  the  torture. 

"  Brother,"  said  Bough  of  the  Oak,  again  placing  him- 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  377 

self  before  the  captive,  "  you  have  a  stout  heart.  It  is 
made  of  stone,  and  not  of  flesh.  If  our  hearts  be  of  dog's 
meat,  yours  is  of  stone.  What  you  say  is  true.  The  pale 
faces  did  come  at  first  in  two  or  three  canoes,  and  there 
were  but  few  of  them.  We  are  ashamed,  for  it  is  true.  A 
few  pale-faces  drove  towards  the  setting  sun  many  Injins. 
But  we  cannot  be  driven  any  further.  We  mean  to  stop 
here,  and  begin  to  take  all  the  scalps  we  can.  A  great 
chief,  who  belongs  to  no  one  tribe,  but  belongs  to  all  tribes, 
who  speaks  all  tongues,  has  been  sent  by  the  Great  Spirit 
to  arouse  us.  He  has  done  it.  You  know  him.  He  came 
from  the  head  of  the  lake  with  you,  and  kept  his  eye  on 
your  scalp.  He  has  meant  to  take  it  from  the  first.  He 
waited  only  for  an  opportunity.  That  opportunity  has 
come,  and  we  now  mean  to  do  as  he  has  told  us  we  ought 
to  do.  This  is  right.  Squaws  are  in  a  hurry ;  warriors 
know  how  to  wait.  We  would  kill  you  at  once,  and  hang 
your  scalp  on  our  pole,  but  it  would  not  be  right.  We  wish 
to  do  what  is  right.  If  we  are  poor  Injins,  and  know  but 
little,  we  know  what  is  right.  It  is  right  to  torment  so 
great  a  brave,  and  we  mean  to  do  it.  It  is  only  just  to  you 
to  do  so.  An  old  warrior,  who  has  seen  so  many  enemies, 
and  who  has  so  big  a  heart,  ought  not  to  be  knocked  in 
the  head  like  a  pappoose  or  a  squaw.  It  is  his  right  to  be 
tormented.  We  are  getting  ready,  and  shall  soon  begin. 
If  my  brother  can  tell  us  a  new  way  of  tormenting,  we  are 
willing  to  try  it.  Should  we  not  make  out  as  well  as  pale 
faces,  my  brother  will  remember  who  we  are.  We  mean 
to  do  our  best,  and  we  hope  to  make  his  heart  soft.  If  we 
do  this,  great  will  be  our  honour.  Should  we  not  do  it,  we 
cannot  help  it.  We  shall  try." 

It  was  now  the  corporal's  turn  to  put  in  a  rebutter.  This 
he  did  without  any  failure  in  will  or  performance.  By  this 
time  he  was  so  well  warmed  as  to  think  or  care  very  little 
about  the  saplings,  and  to  overlook  the  pain  they  might 
occasion. 

"  Dogs  can  do  little  but  bark  ;  'specially  Injin  dogs,"  he 
said.  "  Injins  themselves  are  little  better  than  their  own 
dogs.  They  can  bark,  but  they  don't  know  how  to  bite. 
You  have  many  great  chiefs  here.  Some  are  panthers, 
and  some  bears,  and  some  buffaloes ;  but  where  are  your 
32* 


378  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

weasels?  I  have  fit  you  now  these  twenty  years,  and  never 
have  I  known  ye  to  stand  up  to  the  baggonet.  It's  not 
Injin  natur'  to  do  that" 

Here  the  corporal,  without  knowing  it,  made  some  such 
reproach  to  the  aboriginal  warriors  of  America  as  the  Bag* 
lish  used  to  throw  into  the  teeth  of  ourselves,  that  of  not 
standing  up  to  a  weapon  which  neither  party  possessed.  It 
was  matter  of  great  triumph  that  the  Americans  would  not 
stand  the  charge  of  the  bayonet  at  the  renowned  fight  on 
Breed's,  for  instance,  when  it  is  well  known  that  not  one 
man  in  five  among  the  colonists  had  any  such  weapon  at 
all  to  "  stand  up"  with.  A  different  story  was  told  at 
Guildford,  and  Stony  Point,  and  Eutaw,  and  Bennington, 
and  Bemis'  Heights,  and  fifty  other  places  that  might  be 
named,  after  the  troops  were  furnished  with  bayonets. 
Then  it  was  found  that  the  Americans  could  use  them  as 
well  as  others,  and  so  might  it  have  proved  with  the  red 
men,  though  their  discipline,  or  mode  of  fighting,  scarce 
admitted  of  such  systematic  charges.  All  this,  however, 
the  corporal  overlooked,  much  as  if  he  were  a  regular  his 
torian  who  was  writing  to  make  out  a  case. 

"  Harkee,  brother,  since  you  will  call  me  brother ; 
though,  Heaven  be  praised,  not  a  drop  of  nigger  or  Injin 
blood  runs  in  my  veins,"  resumed  the  corporal.  "  Harkee, 
friend  red-skin,  answer  me  one  thing?  Did  you  ever  hear 
of  such  a  man  as  Mad  Anthony?  He  was  the  tickler  for 
your  infernal  tribes?  You  pulled  no  saplings  together  for 
him.  He  put  you  up  with  '  the  long-knives  and  leather- 
stockings,'  and  you  outrun  his  fleetest  horses.  I  was  with 
him,  and  saw  more  naked  backs  than  naked  faces  among 
your  people,  that  day.  Your  Great  Bear  got  a  rap  on  his 
nose  that  sent  him  to  his  village  yelping  like  a  cur." 

Again  was  the  corporal  compelled  to  stop  to  take  breath. 
The  allusion  to  Wayne,  and  his  defeat  of  the  Indians,  ex 
cited  so  much  ire,  that  several  hands  grasped  knives  and 
tomahawks,  and  one  arrow  was  actually  drawn  nearly  to 
the  head ;  but  the  frown  of  Bear's  Meat  prevented  any 
outbreak,  or  actual  violence.  It  was  deemed  prudent, 
however,  to  put  an  end  to  this  scene,  lest  the  straight-for 
ward  corporal,  who  laid  it  on  heavily,  and  who  had  so  much 
to  say  about  Indian  defeats,  might  actually  succeed  in 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  379 

touching  some  festering  wound  that  would  bring  him  to  his 
death  at  once.  It  was,  accordingly,  determined  to  proceed 
with  the  torture  of  the  saplings  without  further  delay. 

The  corporal  was  removed  accordingly,  and  placed  be 
tween  the  two  bended  trees,  which  were  kept  together  by 
withes  around  their  tops.  An  arm  of  the  captive  was 
bound  tightly  at  the  wrist  to  the  top  of  each  tree,  so  that 
his  limbs  were  to  act  as  the  only  tie  between  the  saplings, 
as  soon  as  the  withes  should  be  cut.  The  Indians  now 
worked  in  silence,  and  the  matter  was  getting  to  be  much 
too  serious  for  the  corporal  to  indulge  in  any  more  words. 
The  cold  sweat  returned,  and  many  an  anxious  glance  was 
cast  by  the  veteran  on  the  fell  preparations.  Still  he  main 
tained  appearances,  and  when  all  was  ready  not  a  man  there 
was  aware  of  the  agony  of  dread  which  prevailed  in  the 
breast  of  the  victim.  It  was  not  death  that  he  feared  as 
much  as  suffering.  A  few  minutes,  the  corporal  well  knew, 
would  make  the  pain  intolerable,  while  he  saw  no  hope  of 
putting  a  speedy  end  to  his  existence.  A  man  might  live 
hours  in  such  a  situation.  Then  it  was  that  the  teachings 
of  childhood  were  revived  in  the  bosom  of  this  hardened 
man,  and  he  remembered  the  being  that  died  for  him,  in 
common  with  the  rest  of  the  human  race,  on  the  tree.  The 
seeming  similarity  of  his  own  execution  struck  his  imagina 
tion,  and  brought  a  tardy  but  faint  recollection  of  those 
lessons  that  had  lost  most  of  their  efficacy  in  the  wicked 
ness  and  impiety  of  camps.  His  soul  struggled  for  relief 
in  that  direction,  but  the  present  scene  was  too  absorbing 
to  admit  of  its  lifting  itself  so  far  above  his  humanity. 

"  Warrior  of  the  pale-faces,"  said  Bough  of  the  Oak, 
we  are  going  to  cut  the  withe.  You  will  then  be  where  a 
brave  man  will  want  all  his  courage.  If  you  are  firm,  we 
will  do  you  honour;  if  you  faint  and  screech,  our  young 
men  will  laugh  at  you.  This  is  the  way  with  Injins. 
They  honour  braves ;  they  point  the  finger  at  cowards." 

Here  a  sign  was  made  by  Bear's  Meat,  and  a  warrior 
raised  the  tomahawk  that  was  to  separate  the  fastenings. 
His  hand  was  in  the  very  act  of  descending,  when  the 
crack  of  a  rifle  was  heard,  and  a  little  smoke  rose  out  of 
the  thicket,  near  the  spot  where  the  bee-hunter  and  the 
corporal,  himself,  had  remained  so  long  hid,  on  the  occa- 


380  THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

eion  of  the  council  first  held  in  that  place.  The  tomahawk 
fell,  however,  the  withes  were  parted,  and  up  flew  the  sap- 
iings,  with  a  violence  that  threatened  to  tear  the  arms  of 
the  victim  out  of  their  sockets. 

The  Indians  listened,  expecting  the  screeches  and 
groans; — they  gazed,  hoping  to  witness  the  writhings  of 
their  captive.  But  they  were  disappointed.  There  hung 
the  body,  its  arms  distended,  still  holding  the  tops  of  the 
saplings  bowed,  but  not  a  sign  of  life  was  seen.  A  small 
line  of  blood  trickled  down  the  forehead,  and  above  it  was 
the  nearly  imperceptible  hole  made  by  the  passage  of  a 
bullet.  The  head  itself  had  fallen  forward  and  a  little  on 
one  shoulder.  The  corporal  had  escaped  the  torments 
reserved  for  him,  by  this  friendly  blow. 

It  was  so  much  a  matter  of  course  for  an  Indian  to 
revenge  his  own  wounds — to  alleviate  his  smarts,  by  retali 
ating  on  those  who  inflicted  them,  that  the  chiefs  expressed 
neither  surprise  nor  resentment  at  the  manner  of  the  cor 
poral's  death.  There  was  some  disappointment,  it  is  true; 
but  no  anger  was  manifested,  since  it  was  supposed  that 
some  one  of  those  whom  the  prisoner  had  wounded  had 
seen  fit,  in  this  mode,  to-revenge  his  own  hurts.  In  this, 
however,  the  Indians  deceived  themselves.  The  well- 
intentioned  and  deadly  shot,  that  saved  the  corporal  from 
hours  of  agony,  came  from  the  friendly  hand  of  Pigeons- 
wing;  who  had  no  sooner  discharged  his  rifle,  than  he 
stole  away  through  the  thicket,  and  was  never  discovered. 
This  he  did,  too,  at  the  expense  of  Ungque's  scalp,  on 
which  he  had  set  his  heart. 

As  for  the  Indians,  perceiving  that  their  hopes  of  forcing 
a  captive  to  confess  his  weakness  were  frustrated,  they 
conferred  together  on  the  course  of  future  proceedings. 
There  was  an  enquiry  for  Peter,  but  Peter  was  not  to  be 
found.  Bough  of  the  Oak  suggested  that  the  mysterious 
chief  must  have  gone  to  the  palisaded  hut,  in  order  to  get 
the  remaining  scalps,  his  passion  for  this  symbol  of  tri 
umphs  over  pale-faces  being  well  known.  It  was,  there 
fore,  incumbent  on  the  whole  band  to  follow,  with  the 
double  view  of  sharing  in  the  honour  of  the  assault,  and 
of  rendering  assistance. 

Abandoning  the  body  of  the  corporal  where  it  hung, 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  381 

away  went  these  savages,  by  this  time  keenly  alive  to  the 
scent  of  blood.  Something  like  order  was  observed,  how 
ever,  each  chief  leading  his  own  particular  part  of  the 
band,  in  his  own  way,  but  on  a  designated  route.  Bear's 
Meat  acted  as  commander-in-chief,  the  subordinate  leaders 
following  his  instructions  with-  reasonable  obedience. 
Some  went  in  one  direction,  others  in  another ;  until  the 
verdant  bottom  near  the  sweet  spring  was  deserted. 

In  Jess  than  half  an  hour  the  whole  band  was  collected 
around  Castle  Meal,  distant,  however,  beyond  the  range 
of  a  rifle.  The  different  parties,  as  they  arrived,  announced 
their  presence  by  whoops,  which  were  intended  to  answei 
the  double  purpose  of  signals,  and  of  striking  terror  to  the 
hearts  of  the  besieged;  the  North  American  Indians  making 
ample  use  of  this  great  auxiliary  in  war. 

All  this  time  no  one  was  seen  in  or  about  the  fortified 
hut.  The  gate  was  closed,  as  were  the  doors  and  win 
dows,  manifesting  preparations  for  defence;  but  the  garri 
son  kept  close.  Nor  was  Peter  to  be  seen.  He  might  be 
a  prisoner,  or  he  might  not  have  come  in  this  direction. 
It  was  just  possible  that  he  might  be  stealing  up  to  the 
building,  to  get  a  nearer  view,  and  a  closer  scout. 

Indian  warfare  is  always  stealthy.  It  is  seldom,  indeed, 
that  the  aboriginal  Americans  venture  on  an  open  assault 
of  any  fortified  place,  however  small  and  feeble  it  may  be. 
Ignorant  of  the  use  of  artillery,  and  totally  without  that  all- 
important  arm,  their  approaches  to  any  cover,  whence  a 
bullet  may  be  sent  against  them,  are  ever  wary,  slow,  and 
well  concerted.  They  have  no  idea  of  trenches,  do  not 
possess  the  means  of  making  them,  indeed;  but  they  have 
such  substitutes  of  their  own  as  usually  meet  all  their 
wants,  more  particularly  in  portions  of  the  country  that  are 
wooded.  In  cases  like  this  before  our  present  band,  they 
nad  to  exercise  their  wits  to  invent  new  modes  of  effecting 
their  purposes. 

Bear's  Meat  collected  his  principal  chiefs,  and,  after  a 
considerable  amount  of  consultation,  it  was  determined,  in 
the  present  instance,  to  try  the  virtue  of  fire.  The  only 
sign  of  life  they  could  detect  about  the  hut,  was  an  occa 
sional  bark  from  Hive,  who  had  been  taken  within  the 
building,  most  probably  to  protect  him  from  the  bullets  and 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

arrows  of  the  enemy.  Even  this  animal  did  not  howl,  like 
a  dog  in  distress;  but  he  barked,  as  if  aware  of  the  vi 
cinity  of  strangers.  The  keenest  scrutiny  could  not  detect 
an  outlet  of  any  sort  about  the  hut.  Everything  was 
tightly  closed,  and  it  was  impossible ,  to  say  when,  or 
whence,  a  bullet  might  not  be  sent  against  the  unwary. 

The  plan  was  soon  formed,  and  was  quite  as  rapidly 
executed.  Bough  of  the  Oak,  himself,  supported  by  two 
or  three  other  braves,  undertook  to  set  the  buildings  on 
fire.  This  was  done  by  approaching  the  kitchen,  dodging 
from  tree  to  tree,  making  each  movement  with  a  rapidity 
that  defeated  aim,  and  an  irregularity  that  defied  calcula"- 
tion.  In  this  way  the  kitchen  was  safely  reached,  where 
there  was  a  log  cover  to  conceal  the  party.  Here  also  was 
fire,  the  food  for  dinner  being  left,  just  as  it  had  been  put 
over  to  boil,  not  long  before.  The  Indians  had  prepared 
themselves  with  arrows  and  light  wood,  and  soon  they 
commenced  sending  their  flaming  missiles  toward  the  roof 
of  the  hut.  Arrow  after  arrow  struck,  and  it  was  not  long 
before  the  roof  was  on  fire. 

A  yell  now  arose  throughout  the  openings.  Far  and 
near  the  Indians  exulted  at  their  success.  The  wood  was 
dry,  and  it  was  of  a  very  inflammable  nature.  The  wind 
blew,  and  in  half  an  hour  Castle  Meal  was  in  a  bright 
blaze.  Hive  now  began  to  howl,  a  sign  that  he  knew  his 
peril.  Still,  no  human  being  appeared.  Presently  the 
flaming  roof  fell  in,  and  the  savages  listened  intently  to 
hear  the  screeches  of  their  victims.  The  howls  of  the  dog 
increased,  and  he  was  soon  seen,  with  his  hair  burned 
from  his  skin,  leaping  on  the  unroofed  wall,  and  thence 
into  the  area  within  the  palisades.  A  bullet  terminated 
his  sufferings  as  he  alighted. 

Bear's  Meat  now  gave  the  signal,  and  a  general  rush 
was  made.  No  rifle  opposed  them,  and  a  hundred  Indians 
were  soon  at  the  palisades.  To  the  surprise  of  all,  the 
gate  was  found  unfastened.  Rushing  within,  the  door  of 
the  hut  was  forced,  and  a  view  obtained  of  the  blazing 
furnace  within.  The  party  had  arrived  in  sufficient  season 
to  perceive  fragments  of  le  Bourdon's  ru-de  furniture  and 
stores  yet  blazing,  but  nowhere  was  a  human  corpse  visi 
ble.  Poles  were  got,  and  the  brands  were  removed,  in  the 


THE    OAK     OPENINGS.  383 

expectation  of  finding  bones  beneath  them;  but  without 
success.  It  was  now  certain  that  no  pale-face  had  perished 
in  that  hut.  Then  the  truth  flashed  on  the  minds  of  all 
the  savages :  le  Bourdon  and  his  friends  had  taken  the 
alarm  in  time,  and  had  escaped ! 


CHAPTEE  XXVI. 

"Behold,  0  Lord!  the  heathen  tread 
The  branches  of  thy  fruitful  vine, 

That  its  luxurious  tendrils  spread 
O'er  all  the  hills  of  Palestine. 

And  now  the  wild  boar  comes  to  waste 

Even  us,  the  greenest  boughs  and  last, 

That,  drinking  of  its  choicest  dew, 

On  Zion's  hill  in  beauty  grew." 

MlLMAJT. 

THE  change  in  Peter  had  been  gradually  making  itself 
apparent,  ever  since  he  joined  the  party  of  the  bee-hunter. 
When  he  entered  the  Kalamazoo,  in  the  company  of  the 
two  men  who  had  now  fallen  the  victims  of  his  own 
designs,  his  heart  was  full  of  the  fell  intention  of  cutting 
off  the  whole  white  race.  Margery  had  first  induced  him 
to  think  of  exceptions.  He  had  early  half-decided  that  she 
should  be  spared,  to  be  carried  to  his  own  lodge,  as  an 
adopted  daughter.  When  he  became  aware  of  the  state 
of  things  between  his  favourite  and  her  lover,  there  was  a 
severe  struggle  in  his  breast  on  the  subject  of  sparing  the 
last.  He  saw  how  strongly  the  girl  was  attached  to  him, 
and  something  like  human  sentiments  forced  their  way 
among  his  savage  plans.  The  mysterious  communication 
of  le  Bourdon  with  the  bees,  however,  had  far  more  influ 
ence  in  determining  him  to  spare  so  great  a  medicine-man, 
than  Margery's  claims;  and  he  had  endeavoured  to  avail 
himself  of  a  marriage  as  a  means  of  saving  the  bride,  in 
stead  of  saving  the  bridegroom.  All  the  Indians  enter- 


384  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

tained  a  species  of  awe  for  le  Bourdon,  and  all  hesitated 
about  laying  hands  on  one  who  appeared  so  gifted.  It  was 
therefore  the  expectation  of  this  extraordinary  being,  that 
the  wife  might  be  permitted  to  escape  with  the  husband. 
The  effect  of  the  Weasel's  cunning  has  been  described. 
Such  was  the  state  of  Peter's  mind  when  he  met  the  band 
in  the  scenes  last  described.  There  he  had  been  all  atten 
tion  to  the  demeanour  of  the  missionary.  A  hundred  times 
had  he  seen  warriors  die  uttering  maledictions  on  their 
enemies ;  but  this  was  the  first  occasion  on  which  he  had 
ever  known  a  man  to  use  his  latest  breath  in  asking  for 
blessings  on  those  "  who  persecuted  him."  At  first,  Peter 
was  astounded.  Then  the  sublime  principles  had  their 
effect,  and  his  heart  was  deeply  touched  with  what  ha 
heard.  How  far  the  Holy  Spirit  aided  these  better  feel 
ings,  it  might  be  presumptuous,  on  the  one  hand,  to  say 
while,  on  the  other,  it  will  be  equally  presuming  to  think 
of  denying  the  possibility  —  nay,  the  probability — that  the 
great  change  which  so  suddenly  came  over  the  heart  of 
Peter,  was  produced  by  more  than  mere  human  agencies 
We  know  that  this  blessed  Spirit  is  often  poured  out,  in 
especial  cases,  with  affluent  benevolence,  and  there  can  be 
no  sufficient  reason  for  supposing  this  savage  might  not 
have  been  thus  signally  favoured,  as  soon  as  the  avenues 
of  his  heart  opened  to  t'he  impulses  of  a  generous  humanity. 
The  very  qualities  that  would  induce  such  a  being  to  at 
tempt  the  wild,  and  visionary  scheme  of  vengeance  and 
retribution  that  had  now  occupied  his  sleeping  and  waking 
thoughts  for  years,  might,  under  a  better  direction,  render 
him  eminently  fit  to  be  the  subject  of  divine  grace.  A 
latent  sense  of  right  lay  behind  all  his  seeming  barbarity, 
and  that  which  to  us  appears  as  a  fell  ferocity,  was,  in  his 
own  eyes,  no  less  than  a  severe  justice. 

The  words,  the  principles,  the  prayers,  and  more  than 
all,  the  example  of  the  missionary,  wrought  this  great 
change,  so  far  as  human  agencies  were  employed ;  but  the 
power  of  God  was  necessary  to  carry  out,  and  complete 
this  renewal  of  the  inner  man.  We  do  not  mean  that  a 
miracle  was  used  in  the  sudden  conversion  of  this  Indian 
to  better  feelings,  for  that  which  is  of  hourly  occurrence, 
and  which  may  happen  to  all,  comes  within  the  ordinary 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  385 

workings  of  a  Divine  Providence,  and  cannot  thus  be 
designated  with  propriety ;  but  we  do  wish  to  be  under 
stood  as  saying,  that  no  purely  human  power  could  have 
cleared  the  moral  vision,  changed  all  the  views,  and  soft 
ened  the  heart  of  such  a  man,  as  was  so  promptly  done  in 
the  case  of  Peter.  The  way  had  been  gradually  preparing, 
perhaps,  by  the  means  already  described ;  but  the  great 
transformation  came  so  suddenly  and  so  powerfully,  as  to 
render  him  a  different  being,  as  it  might  almost  be,  in  the 
twinkling  of  an  eye!  Such  changes  often  occur,  and 
though  it  may  suit  the  self-sufficiency  of  the  worldling  to 
deride  them,  he  is  the  wisest  who  submits  in  the  meekest 
spirit  to  powers  that  exceed  his  comprehension. 

In  this  state  of  mind,  then,  Peter  left  the  band  as  soon 
as  the  fate  of  the  missionary  was  decided.  His  immediate 
object  was  to  save  the  whites  who  remained,  Gershom  and 
Dorothy  now  having  a  place  in  his  good  intentions,  as  well 
as  le  Bourdon  and  Margery.  Although  he  moved  swiftly, 
and  nearly  by  an  air-line,  his  thoughts  scarce  kept  com 
pany  with  his  feet.  During  that  rapid  walk,  he  was 
haunted  with  the  image  of  a  man,  dying  while  he  pro 
nounced  benedictions  on  his  enemies ! 

There  was  little  in  common  between  the  natural  objects 
of  that  placid  and  rural  scene,  and  the  fell  passions  that 
were  so  actively  at  work  among  the  savages.  The  whole 
of  the  landscape  was  bathed  in  the  light  of  a  clear,  warm, 
summer's  day.  These  are  the  times  when  the  earth  truly 
seems  a  sanctuary,  in  spots  remote  from  the  haunts  of  men, 
and  least  exposed  to  his  abuses.  The  bees  hum  around 
the  flowers,  the  birds  carol  on  the  boughs  and  from  amid 
their  leafy  arbours,  while  even  the  leaping  and  shining 
waters  appear  to  be  instinct  with  the  life  that  extols  the 
glory  of  God. 

As  for  the  family  near  the  palisaded  hut,  happiness  had 
not,  for  many  a  month,  been  so  seated  among  them,  as  on 
this  very  occasion.  Dorothy  sympathized  truly  in  the  feel 
ings  of  the  youthful  and  charming  bride,  while  Gershom 
had  many  of  the  kind  and  affectionate  wishes  of  a  brother 
in  her  behalf.  The  last  was  in  his  best  attire,  as  indeed 
were  the  females,  who  were  neatly  though  modestly  clad, 
and  Gershom  had  that  air  of  decent  repose  and  of  quiet 
33 


386  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

enjoyment,  which  is  so  common  of  a  Sabbath  with  the  rmin 
of  his  class,  among  the  people  from  whom  he  sprung.  The 
fears  lately  excited  were  momentarily  forgotten.  Every 
thing  around  them  wore  an  air  so  placid  ;  the  vault  above 
them  was  so  profoundly  tranquil ;  the  light  of  day  was  so 
soft  and  yet  so  bright ;  the  Openings  seemed  so  rural  and 
so  much  like  pictures  of  civilization,  that  apprehension 
had  been  entirely  forgotten  in  present  enjoyment.  Such 
was  the  moment  when  Peter  suddenly  stood  before  le 
Bourdon  and  Margery,  as  the  young  couple  sat  beneath 
the  shade  of  the  oaks,  near  the  spring.  One  instant  the 
Indian  regarded  this  picture  of  young  wedded  life,  with  a 
gleam  of  pleasure  on  his  dark  face ;  then  he  announced 
his  presence  by  speaking. 

"  Can't  sit  here  lookin'  at  young  squaw,"  said  this  literal 
being. — "  Get  up,  and  put  thing  in  canoe.  Time  come  to 
go  on  path  dat  lead  to  pale-face  country." 

"  What  has  happened,  Peter  ?"  demanded  the  bee-hunter, 
springing  to  his  feet.  "  You  come  like  a  runner  rushing 
in  with  his  bad  tidings.  Has  anything  happened  to  give 
an  alarm?" 

"  Up,  and  off,  tell  you.  No  use  talkin'  now.  Put  all 
he  can  in  canoe,  and  paddle  away  fast  as  can."  There 
was  no  mistaking  Peter's  manner.  The  bee-hunter  saw 
the  uselessness  of  questioning  such  a  man,  at  a  time  like 
that,  and  he  called  to  Gershom  to  join  him. 

"  Here  is  the  chief,  to  warn  us  to  move,"  said  the  bee- 
hunter,  endeavouring  to  appear  calm,  in  order  that  he 
might  not  needlessly  alarm  the  females,  "  and  what  he  ad 
vises,  we  had  better  do.  I  know  there  is  danger,  by  what 
has  fallen  from  Pigeonswing  as  well  as  from  himself;  so 
let  us  lose  no  time,  but  stow  the  canoes,  and  do  as  he  tells 
us." 

As  Gershom  assented,  it  was  not  two  minutes  ere  all 
were  at  work.  For  several  days,  each  canoe  had  been 
furnished  with  provisions  for  a  hasty  flight.  It  remained 
only  to  add  such  of  the  effects  as  were  too  valuable  and 
necessary  to  be  abandoned,  and  which  had  not  been  pre 
viously  exposed  without  the  palisades.  For  half  an  hour 
e  Bourdon  and  Gershom  worked  as  for  life.  No  questions 
were  asked,  nor  was  a  single  moment  lost,  in  a  desire  to 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  387 

learn  more.  The  manner  in  which  Peter  bore  himself, 
satisfied  Boden  that  the  emergency  was  pressing,  and  it  is 
seldom  that  more  was  done  by  so  few  hands,  in  so  short  a 
period.  Fortunately,  the  previous  preparation  greatly  aided 
the  present  object,  and  nearly  everything  of  any  value  was 
placed  in  the  canoes,  within  the  brief  space  mentioned. 
It  then  became  necessary  to  decide  concerning  the  con 
dition  in  which  Castle  Meal  was  to  be  left.  Peter  advised 
closing  every  aperture,  shutting  the  gate,  and  leaving  the 
dog  within.  There  is  no  doubt  that  these  expedients  pre 
vented  the  party's  falling  early  into  the  hands  of  their  ene 
mies;  for  the  time  lost  by  the  savages  in  making  their  ap 
proaches  to  the  hut,  was  very  precious  to  the  fugitives. 

Just  as  the  canoes  were  loaded,  Pigeonswing  came  in. 
He  announced  that  the  whole  band  was  in  motion,  and 
might  be  expected  to  reach  the  grove  in  ten  minutes. 
Placing  an  arm  around  the  slender  waist  of  Margery,  le 
Bourdon  almost  carried  her  to  his  own  canoe.  Gershom 
soon  had  Dorothy  in  his  little  bark,  while  Peter  entered 
that  to  the  ownership  of  which  he  may  be  said  to  have 
justly  succeeded,  by  the  deaths  of  the  corporal  and  the 
missionary.  Pigeonswing  remained  behind,  in  order  to 
act  as  a  scout,  having  first  communicated  to  Peter  the 
course  the  last  ought  to  steer.  Before  the  Chippewa 
plunged  into  the  cover  in  which  it  was  his  intention  to  con 
ceal  himself,  he  made  a  sign  that  the  band  was  already  in 
sight. 

The  heart  of  le  Bourdon  sunk  within  him,  when  he 
learned  how  near  were  the  enemy.  To  him,  escape  seemed 
impossible ;  and  he  now  regretted  having  abandoned  the 
defences  of  his  late  residence.  The  river  was  sluggish 
for  more  than  a  mile  at  that  spot,  and  then  occurred  a  rift, 
which  could  not  be  passed  without  partly  unloading  the 
canoes,  and  where  there  must  necessarily  be  a  detention 
of  more  than  an  hour.  Thus,  it  was  scarcely  possible  for 
canoes  descending  that  stream,  to  escape  from  so  large  a 
band  of  pursuers.  The  sinuosities,  themselves,  would 
enable  the  last  to  gain  fifty  points  ahead  of  them,  where 
ambushes,  or  even  open  resistance,  must  place  them  alto 
gether  at  the  mercy  of  the  savages. 

Peter  knew  all  this,  as  well  as  the  bee-hunter,  and  he 


388  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

had  no  intention  of  trusting  his  new  friends  in  a  flight 
down  the  river.  Pigeonswing,  with  the  sententious  brevity 
of  an  Indian,  had  made  an  important  communication  to 
him,  while  they  were  moving,  for  the  last  time,  towards 
the  canoes,  and  he  now  determined  to  profit  by  it.  Taking 
the  lead,  therefore,  with  his  own  canoe,  Peter  paddled  up, 
instead  of  down  the  stream,  going  in  a  direction  opposite 
to  that  which  it  would  naturally  be  supposed  the  fugitives 
had  taken.  In  doing  this,  also,  he  kept  as  close  under  the 
bank  which  would  most  conceal  the  canoes  from  those  who 
approached  it  on  its  southern  side. 

It  will  be  remembered  that  the  trees  for  the  palisades 
had  been  cut  from  a  swamp,  a  short  distance  above  the 
bee-hunter's  residence.  They  had  grown  on  the  margin 
of  the  river,  which  had  been  found  serviceable  in  floating 
the  logs  to  their  point  of  destination.  The  tops  of  many 
of  these  trees,  resinous  and  suited  by  their  nature  to  pre 
serve  their  leaves  for  a  considerable  time,  lay  partly  in  the 
stream,  and  partly  on  its  banks;  and  Pigeonswing,  fore 
seeing  the  necessity  of  having  a  place  of  refuge,  had  made 
so  artful  a  disposition  of  several  of  them,  that,  while  they 
preserved  all  the  appearance  of  still  lying  where  they  had 
fallen,  it  was  possible  to  haul  canoes  up  beneath  them, 
between  the  branches  and  the  bank,  in  a  way  to  form  a 
place  of  perfect  concealment.  No  Indian  would  have 
trusted  to  such  a  hiding-place,  had  it  not  been  matter  of 
notoriety  that  the  trees  had  been  felled  for  a  particular 
purpose,  or  had  their  accidental  disposition  along  the  bank 
been  discernibly  deranged.  But,  such  was  not  the  case, 
the  hand  of  Pigeonswing  having  been  so  skilfully  em 
ployed,  that  what  he  had  done  could  not  be  detected.  He 
might  be  said  to  have  assisted  nature,  instead  of  disturbing 
her. 

The  canoes  were  actually  paddling  close  under  the  bank, 
in  the  Castle  Meal  reach  of  the  river,  when  the  band  ar 
rived  at  the  grove,  and  commenced  what  might  be  called 
the  investment  of  the  place,  Had  not  all  the  attention  of 
the  savages  been  drawn  towards  the  hut,  it  is  probable  that 
some  wandering  eye  might  have  caught  a  glimpse  of  some 
one  of  them,  as  inequalities  in  the  bank  momentarily  ex 
posed  each,  in  succession,  to  view.  This  danger,  however, 


THE    <5AK    OPENINGS.  389 

passed  away,  and  by  turning  a  point,  the  fugitives  were 
effectually  concealed  from  all  who  did  not  actually  approach 
the  river  at  that  particular  point.  Here  it  was,  however, 
that  the  swamp  commenced,  and  the  ground  being  wet  and 
difficult,  no  one  would  be  likely  to  do  this.  The  stream 
flowed  through  this  swamp,  having  a  dense  wood  on  each 
side,  though  one  of  no  great  extent.  The  reach,  moreover, 
was  short,  making  a  completely  sheltered  haven  of  the  Kala- 
mazoo,  within  its  limits. 

Once  in  this  wooded  reach,  Peter  tossed  an  arm,  and 
assumed  an  air  of  greater  security.  He  felt  infinitely  re 
lieved,  and  knew  that  they  were  safe,  for  a  time,  unless 
some  wanderer  should  have  taken  to  the  swamp,  a  most 
improbable  thing  of  itself.  When  high  enough,  he  led  the 
way  across  the  stream,  and  entering  below,  he  soon  had 
all  the  canoes  in  their  place  of  concealment. 

"  Dis  good  place,"  observed  the  great  chief,  as  soon  as  all 
were  fast ;  "  bess  take  care,  dough.  Bess  not  make  track 
too  much  on  land;  Injin  got  sharp  eye,  and  see  ebbery 
t'ing.  Now,  I  go  and  talk  wid  chief.  Come  back  by-'em- 
by.  You  stay  here.  Good-bye." 

"  Stop,  Peter — one  word  before  we  part.  If  you  see 
Parson  Amen,  or  the  corporal,  it  might  be  well  to  tell  them 
where  we  are  to  be  found.  They  would  be  glad  to  know." 

Peter  looked  grave ;  even  sad.  He  did  not  answer  for 
fully  a  minute.  When  he  did,  it  was  in  a  low,  suppressed 
voice,  such  as  one  is  apt  to  use  when  there  is  a  weight  felt 
on  his  mind. 

"  Nebber  know  any  t'ing  ag'in,"  returned  the  chief 
"  Both  dem  pale-face  dead." 

"Dead!"  echoed  all  within  hearing. 

"  Juss  so;  Injin  kill  him.  Mean  to  kill  you,  too— dat 
why  I  run  away.  Saw  medicine-priest  die.  What  you 
t'ink,  Blossom? — What  you  t'ink,  Bourdon? — Dat  man 
die  asking  Great  Spirit  to  do  good  to  Injin !" 

"  I  can  believe  it,  Peter,  for  he  was  a  good  man,  and 
such  are  our  Christian  laws,  though  few  of  us  obey  them. 
I  can  easily  believe  that  Parson  Amen  was  an  exception, 
however." 

"  Yes,  Peter,  such  are  our  Christian  laws,"  put  in  Mar 
gery,  earnestly.  "  When  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  caina 
33* 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

on  earth  to  redeem  lost  men,  he  commanded  his  followers 
to  do  good  to  them  that  did  evil  to  us,  and  to  pray  for  them 
that  tried  to  harm  us.  We  have  his  very  words,  written  in 
our  bibles." 

"  You  got  him — "  said  Peter,  with  interest.  "  See  you 
read  him,  oPen.  .Got  dat  book  here?" 

"  To  be  sure  I  have — it  is  the  last  thing  I  should  have 
forgotten.  Dolly  has  one,  and  I  have  another ;  we  read 
in  them  every  day,  and  we  hope  that,  before  long,  brother 
and  Bourdon  will  read  in  them,  too." 

"Why,  I'm  no  great  scholar,  Margery,"  returned  her 
husband,  scratching  his  full,  curling  head  of  hair,  out  of 
pure  awkwardness:  "to  please  you,  however,  I'd  undertake 
even  a  harder  job.  It  was  so  with  the  bees,  when  I  began  ; 
I  thought  1  should  never  succeed  in  lining  the  first  bee  to 
his  hive;  but,  since  that  time,  I  do  think  I've  lined  a 
thousand  !" 

"  It's  easy,  it 's  easy,  dear  Benjamin,  if  you  will  only 
make  a  beginning,"  returned  the  much  interested  young 
wife.  "  When  we  get  to  a  place  of  safety,  if  it  be  God's 
will  that  we  ever  shall,  I  hope  to  have  you  join  me  in  read 
ing  the  good  book,  daily.  See,  Peter,  I  keep  it  in  this 
little  bag,  where  it  is  safe,  and  always  at  hand." 

"  You  read  dem  word  for  me,  BJossom :  I  want  to  hear 
him,  out  of  dis  book,  himself" 

Margery  did  as  desired.  She  was  very  familiar  with  the 
New  Testament,  and  turning  to  the  well-known  and  God 
like  passage,  she  read  several  verses,  in  a  steady,  earnest 
voice.  Perhaps  the  danger  they  were  in,  and  the  recent 
communication  of  the  death  of  their  late  companions,  in 
creased  her  earnestness  and  solemnity  of  manner,  for  the 
effect  produced  on  Peter  was  scarcely  less  than  that  he  had 
felt  when  he  witnessed  a  practical  obedience  to  these 
sublime  principles,  in  the  death  of  the  missionary.  Tears 
actually  started  to  this  stern  savage's  eyes,  and  he  looked 
back  on  his  late  projects  and  endeavours  to  immolate  a 
whole  race,  with  a  shudder.  Taking  Margery's  hand,  h& 
courteously  thanked  her,  and  prepared  to  quit  the  place. 
Previously  to  leaving  his  friends,  however,  Peter  gave  a 
brief  account  of  the  manner  of  the  missionary's  death,  and 
of  the  state  in  which  he  had  left  the  corporal.  Pigeons 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  391 

•ring  had  told  him  of  the  fate  of  the  last,  as  well  as  of  the 
eagerness  with  which  the  band  had  set  out  in  quest  of  more 
white  scalps. 

"Peter,  we  can  count  on  you,  for  a  friend,  I  hope?" 
said  the  bee-hunter,  as  the  two  were  about  to  part,  on  the 
bank  of  the  river.  "  I  fear  you  were,  once,  our  enemy  !" 

"  Bourdon,"  said  Peter,  with  dignity,  and  speaking  in 
the  language  of  his  own  people,  "  listen.  There  are  Good 
Spirits,  and  there  are  Bad  Spirits.  Our  traditions  tell  us 
this.  Our  own  minds  tell  us  this,  too.  For  twenty 
winters  a  Bad  Spirit  has  been  whispering  in  my  ear.  1 
listened  to  him;  and  did  what  he  told  me  to  do.  I 
believed  what  he  said.  His  words  were  — '  Kill  your  ene 
mies —  scalp  all  the  pale-faces  —  do  not  leave  a  squaw,  01 
a  pappoose.  Make  all  their  hearts  heavy.  This  is  what 
an  Injin  should  do.'  So  has  the  Bad  Spirit  been  whisper 
ing  to  me,  for  twenty  winters.  I  listened  to  him.  What 
he  said,  1  did.  It  was  pleasant  to  me  to  take  the  scalps 
of  the  pale-faces.  It  was  pleasant  to  think  that  no  more 
scalps  would  be  left  among  them,  to  take.  I  was  Scalping 
Peter. 

"  Bourdon ;  the  Good  Spirit  has,  at  last,  made  himself 
heard.  His  whisper  is  so  low,  that  at  first  my  ears  did  not 
hear  him.  They  hear  him  now.  When  he  spoke  loudest, 
it  was  with  the  tongue  of  the  medicine-priest  of  your  peo 
ple.  He  was  about  to  die.  When  we  are  about  to  die, 
our  voices  become  strong  and  clear.  So  do  our  eyes.  We 
see  what  is  before,  and  we  see  what  is  behind.  We  feel 
joy  for  what  is  before  —  we  feel  sorrow  for  what  is  behind. 
Your  medicine-priest  spoke  well.  It  sounded  in  my  ears 
as  if  the  Great  Spirit,  himself,  was  talking.  They  say  it 
was  his  son.  I  believe  them.  Blossom  has  read  to  me 
out  of  the  good  book  of  your  people,  and  I  find  it  is  so.  I 
feel  like  a  child,  and  could  sit  down,  in  my  wigwam,  and 
weep. 

"  Bourdon ;  you  are  a  pale-face,  and  I  am  an  Injin. 
You  are  strong,  and  I  am  weak.  This  is  because  the  Son 
of  the  Great  Spirit  has  talked  with  your  people,  and  has 
not  talked  with  mine.  I  now  see  why  the  pale-faces  over 
run  the  earth  and  take  the  hunting-grounds.  They  know 
most,  and  have  been  told  to  come  here,  and  to  tell  whal 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

they  know  to  the  poor  ignorant  Injins.  I  hope  my  people 
will  listen.  What  the  Son  of  the  Great  Spirit  says  must 
be  true.  He  does  not  know  how  to  do  wrong. 

"  Bourdon ;  once  it  seemed  sweet  to  me  to  take  the 
scalps  of  my  enemies.  When  an  Injin  did  me  harm,  I 
took  his  scalp.  This  was  my  way.  I  could  not  help  it, 
then.  The  Wicked  Spirit  told  me  to  do  this.  The  Son 
of  the  Manitou  has  now  told  me  better.  I  have  lived  under 
a  cloud.  The  breath  of  the  dying  medicine-priest,  of  your 
people,  has  blown  away  that  cloud.  I  see  clearer.  I  hear 
him  telling  the  Manitou  to  do  me  good,  though  I  wanted 
his  scalp.  He  was  answered  in  my  heart.  Then  my 
ears  opened  wider,  and  I  heard  what  the  Good  Spirit 
whispered.  The  ear  in  which  the  Bad  Spirit  had  been 
talking  for  twenty  winters  shut,  and  was  deaf.  I  hear  him 
no  more.  I  do  not  want  to  hear  him  again.  The  whisper 
of  the  Son  of  the  Manitou  is  very  pleasant  to  rne.  It 
sounds  like  the  wren  singing  his  sweetest  song.  I  hope 
he  will  always  whisper  so.  My  ear  shall  never  again  be 
shut  to  his  words. 

"  Bourdon ;  it  is  pleasant  to  me  to  look  forward.  It  is 
not  pleasant  to  me  to  look  back.  I  see  how  many  things 
I  have  done  in  one  way,  that  ought  to  have  been  done  in 
another  way.  I  feel  sorry ;  and  wish  it  had  not  been  so. 
Then  I  hear  the  Son  of  the  Manitou  asking  His  Father, 
who  liveth  above  the  clouds,  to  do  good  to  the  Jews  who 
took  his  life.  I  do  not  think  Injins  are  Jews.  In  this, 
my  brother  was  wrong.  It  was  his  own  notion,  and  it  is 
easy  for  a  man  to  think  wrong.  It  is  not  so  with  the  Son 
of  the  Manitou.  He  thinketh  always  as  His  Father  think- 
eth,  which  is  right. 

"Bourdon;  I  am  no  longer  Peter  —  I  must  be  another 
Injin.  I  do  not  feel  the  same.  A  scalp  is  a  terrible  thing 
in  my  eyes  —  I  wish  never  to  take  another  —  never  to  see 
another  —  a  scalp  is  a  bad  thing.  I  now  love  the  yankees. 
I  wish  to  do  them  good,  and  not  to  do  them  harm.  I  love 
most  the  Great  Spirit,  that  let  his  own  son  die  for  all  men. 
The  medicine-priest  said  he  died  for  Injins,  as  well  as  for 
pale-faces.  This  we  did  not  know,  or  we  should  have 
talked  of  him  more  in  our  traditions.  We  love  to  talk  cf 
good  acts.  But  we  are  such  ignorant  Injins !  The  Son 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  393 

of  the  Man itou  will  have  pity  on  us,  and  tell  us  oftener  what 
we  ought  to  do.  In  time,  we  shall  learn.  Now,  I  feel  like 
a  child  :  I  hope  I  shall  one  day  be  a  man." 

Having  made  this  "  confession  of  faith,"  one  that  would 
have  done  credit  to  a  Christian  church,  Peter  shook  the 
bee-hunter  kindly  by  the  hand,  and  took  his  departure.  He 
did  not  walk  into  the  swamp,  though  it  was  practicable 
with  sufficient  care,  but  he  stopped  into  the  river,  and 
followed  its  margin,  knowing  that  "  water  leaves  no  trail  !" 
Nor  did  Peter  follow  the  direct  route  towards  the  now 
blazing  hut,  the  smoke  from  which  was  rising  high  above 
the  trees,  but  he  ascended  the  stream,  until  reaching  a 
favourable  spot,  he  threw  aside  all  of  his  light  dress,  made 
it  into  a  bundle,  and  swam  across  the  Kalamazoo,  holding 
his  clothes  above  the  element  with  one  hand.  On  reaching 
the  opposite  shore,  he  moved  on  to  the  upper  margin  of  the 
swamp,  where  he  resumed  his  clothes.  Then  he  issued 
into  the  Openings,  carrying  neither  rifle,  bow,  tomahawk, 
nor  knife.  All  his  weapons  he  had  left  in  his  canoe,  fearful 
that  they  might  tempt  him  to  do  evil,  instead  of  good,  to  his 
enemies.  Neither  Bear's  Meat,  nor  Bough  of  the  Oak, 
was  yet  regarded  by  Peter  with  the  eye  of  love.  He  tried 
not  to  hate  them,  and  this  he  found  sufficiently  difficult ; 
conscious  of  this  difficulty,  he  had  laid  aside  his  arms, 
accordingly.  This  mighty  change  had  been  gradually  in 
progress,  ever  since  the  chief's  close  communication  with 
Margery,  but  it  had  received  its  consummation  in  the  last 
acts,  and  last  words,  of  the  missionary! 

Having  got  out  into  the  Openings,  it  was  not  difficult 
for  Peter  to  join  his  late  companions,  without  attracting 
observation  from  whence  he  came.  He  kept  as  much 
under  cover  as  was  convenient,  and  reached  the  kitchen, 
just  as  the  band  broke  into  the  defences,  and  burst  open 
the  door  of  the  blazing,  and  already  roofless  hut.  Here 
Peter  paused,  unwilling  to  seem  inactive  in  such  a  scene, 
yet  averse  to  doing  anything  that  a  sensitively  tender  con 
science  might  tell  him  was  wrong.  He  knew  there  was  no 
human  being  there  to  save,  and  cared  little  for  the  few 
effects  that  might  be  destroyed.  He  did  not  join  the  crowd, 
therefore,  until  it  was  ascertained  that  the  bee-hunter  and 
his  companion  had  escaped. 


894  THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

"  The  pale-faces  have  fled,"  said  Bear's  Meat  to  the 
great  chief,  when  the  last  did  approach  him.  "  We  have 
looked  for  their  bones  among  the  ashes,  but  there  are  none. 
That  medicine-bee-hunter  has  told  them  that  their  scalps 
were  wanted,  and  they  have  gone  off!" 

"  Have  any  of  the  young  men  been  down  to  the  river,  to 
look  for  their  canoes?"  quietly  demanded  Peter.  "If  the 
canoes  are  gone,  too,  they  have  taken  the  route  towards  the 
Great  Lake." 

This  was  so  obvious  and  probable,  that  a  search  was 
immediately  set  on  foot.  The  report  was  soon  made,  and 
great  was  the  eagerness  to  pursue.  The  Kalamazoo  was 
so  crooked,  that  no  one  there  doubted  of  overtaking  the 
fugitives,  and  parties  were  immediately  organized  for  the 
chase.  This  was  done  with  the  customary  intelligence  and 
shrewdness  of  Indians.  The  canoes  that  belonged  to 
Crowsfeather  and  his  band  had  been  brought  up  the  river, 
and  they  lay  concealed  in  rushes,  not  a  mile  from  the  hut. 
A  party  of  warriors  brought  them  to  the  landing,  and  they 
carried  one  division  of  the  party  to  the  opposite  shore,  it 
being  the  plan  to  follow  each  bank  of  the  river,  keeping 
close  to  the  stream,  even  to  its  mouth,  should  it  prove 
necessary.  Two  other  parties  were  sent,  in  direct  lines, 
one  on  each  side  of  the  river  also,  to  lay  in  ambush  at  such 
distant  points,  ahead,  as  would  be  almost  certain  to  an 
ticipate  the  arrival  of  the  fugitives.  The  canoes  were  sent 
down  the  stream,  to  close  the  net  against  return,  while 
Bear's  Meat,  Bough  of  the  Oak,  Crowsfeather,  and  seve 
ral  others  of  the  leading  chiefs,  remained  near  the  still 
burning  hut,  with  a  strong  party,  to  examine  the  surround 
ing  Openings  for  foot-prints  and  trails.  It  was  possible 
that  the  canoes  hid  been  sent  adrift,  in  order  to  mislead 
them,  while  the  pale-faces  had  fled  by  land. 

It  has  been  stated  that  the  Openings  had  a  beautiful 
sward,  near  Castle  Meal.  This  was  true  of  that  particular 
spot,  and  was  the  reason  why  le  Bourdon  had  selected  it 
for  his  principal  place  of  residence.  The  abundance  of 
flowers  drew  the  bees  there,  a  reason  of  itself  why  he  should 
like  the  vicinity.  Lest  the  reader  should  be  misled,  how 
ever,  it  may  be  well  to  explain  that  an  absence  of  sward  IF 
characteristic  of  these  Openings,  rather  than  the  reverse, 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  395 

it  being,  to  a  certain  degree,  a  cause  of  comp  aint,  now  that 
the  country  is  settled,  that  the  lands  of  the  Oak  Openings 
are  apt  to  be  so  light  that  the  grasses  do  not  readily  form 
as  firm  a  turf  as  is  desirable  for  meadows  and  pastures.  We 
apprehend  this  is  true,  however,  less  as  a  rule,  than  as  ex 
ceptions;  there  being  variety  in  the  soils  of  these  Openings, 
as  well  as  in  other  quarters. 

Nevertheless,  the  savages  were  aware  that  the  country 
around  the  burned  hut,  for  a  considerable  extent,  differed, 
in  this  particular,  from  most  of  that  which  lay  farther  east, 
or  more  inland.  On  the  last  a  trail  would  be  much  more 
easily  detected  than  on  the  first,  and  a  party,  under  the 
direction  of  a  particularly  experienced  leader,  was  dispatch 
ed  several  miles  to  the  eastward,  to  look  for  the  usual  signs 
of  the  passage  of  any  towards  Detroit,  taking  that  route. 
This  last  expedient  troubled  Peter  exceedingly,  since  it 
placed  a  body  of  enemies  in  the  rear  of  the  fugitives ;  there 
by  rendering  their  position  doubly  perilous.  There  was 
no  help  for  the  difficulty,  however ;  and  the  great  chief  saw 
the  party  depart  without  venturing  on  remonstrance,  advice, 
or  any  other  expedient  to  arrest  the  movement.  Bear's  Meat 
now  called  the  head  chiefs,  who  remained,  into  a  circle, 
and  asked  for  opinions  concerning  the  course  that  ought 
next  to  be  taken. 

"  What  does  my  brother,  the  tribeless  chief,  say  ?"  he 
asked,  looking  at  Peter,  in  a  way  to  denote  the  expectation 
which  all  felt,  that  he  ought  to  be  able  to  give  useful  coun 
sel  in  such  a  strait.  "  We  have  got  but  two  scalps  from 
six  heads ;  and  one  of  them  is  buried  with  the  medicine- 
priest." 

"  Scalps  cannot  be  taken  from  them  that  get  off,"  return 
ed  Peter,  evasively.  "  We  must  first  catch  these  pale-faces. 
When  they  are  found,  it  will  be  easy  to  scalp  them.  If  the 
canoes  are  gone,  I  think  the  medicine-bee-hunter  and  his 
squaws  have  gone  in  them.  We  may  find  the  whole,  down 
the  river." 

To  this  opinion  most  of  the  chiefs  assented,  though  the 
course  of  examining  for  a  trail  farther  east  was  still  approved 
The  band  was  so  strong,  while  the  pale-faces  were  so  few, 
that  a  distribution  of  their  own  force  was  of  no  consequence, 
and  it  was  clearly  the  most  prudent  to  send  out  young  men 


396  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

in  all  directions.  Every  one,  however,  expected  that  the 
fugitives  would  be  overtaken  on,  or  near  the  river,  and 
Bear's  Meat  suggested  the  propriety  of  their  moving  down 
stream,  themselves,  very  shortly. 

"  When  did  my  brother  last  see  the  pale-faces?"  asked 
Crowsfeather.  "  This  bee-hunter  knows  the  river  well,  and 
may  have  started  yesterday ;  or  even  after  he  came  from 
the  Great  Council  of  the  Prairie." 

This  was  a  new  idea,  but  one  that  seemed  probable 
enough.  All  eyes  turned  towards  Peter,  who  sa\v,  at  once, 
that  such  a  notion  must  greatly  favour  the  security  of  the 
fugitives,  and  felt  a  strong  desire  to  encourage  it.  He 
found  evasion  difficult,  however,  and  well  knew  the  danger 
of  committing  himself.  Instead  of  giving  a  straight-forward 
answer,  therefore,  he  had  recourse  to  circumlocution  and 
subterfuge. 

"  My  brother  is  right,"  he  answered.  "  The  pale-faces 
have  had  time  to  get  far  down  the  stream.  As  rny  brothers 
know,  I  slept  among  them  at  the  Round  Prairie.  To-day, 
they  know  I  was  with  them  at  the  council  of  the  spring  of 
gushing  waters." 

All  this  was  true,  as  far  as  it  went,  although  the  omis 
sions  were  very  material.  No  one  seemed  to  suspect  the 
great  chief,  whose  fidelity  to  his  own  principles  was  be 
lieved  to  be  of  a  character  amounting  to  enthusiasm. 
Little  did  any  there  know  of  the  power  of  the  unseen 
spirit  of  God  to  alter  the  heart,  producing  what  religionists 
term  the  new  birth.  We  do  not  wish,  however,  to  be  un 
derstood  that  Peter  had,  as  yet,  fully  experienced  this  vast 
change.  It  is  not  often  the  work  of  a  moment,  though 
well-authenticated  modern  instances  do  exist,  in  which  we 
have  every  reason  to  believe  that  men  have  been  made  to 
see  and  feel  the  truth  almost  as  miraculously  as  was  St. 
Paul  himself.  As  for  this  extraordinary  savage,  he  had 
entered  into  the  strait  and  narrow  way,  though  he  was  not 
far  advanced  on  its  difficult  path 

When  men  tell  us  of  the  great  progress  that  the  race  is 
making  towards  perfection,  and  point  to  the  acts  which 
denote  its  wisdom,  its  power  to  control  its  own  affairs,  its 
tendencies  towards  good  when  most  left  to  its  own  self* 
control,  our  minds  are  filled  with  scepticism.  The  every- 


THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

day  experience  of  a  life  now  fast  verging  towards  three 
score,  contradicts  the  theory  and  the  facts.  We  believe 
not  in  the  possibility  of  man's  becoming  even  a  strictly 
rational  being,  unaided  by  a  power  from  on  high ;  and  all 
that  we  have  seen  and  read,  goes  to  convince  us  that  he  is 
most  of  a  philosopher,  the  most  accurate  judge  of  his  real 
state,  the  most  truly  learned,  who  most  vividly  sees  the 
necessity  of  falling  back  on  the  precepts  of  revelation  for 
all  his  higher  principles  and  practice.  We  conceive  that 
this  mighty  truth  furnishes  unanswerable  proof  of  the  un 
ceasing  agency  of  a  Providence,  and  when  we  once  admit 
this,  we  concede  that  our  own  powers  are  insufficient  for 
our  own  wants. 

That  the  world,  as  a  whole,  is  advancing  towards  a  bet 
ter  state  of  things,  we  as  firmly  believe  as  we  do  that  it  is 
by  ways  that  have  not  been  foreseen  by  man ;  and  that, 
whenever  the  last  has  been  made  the  agent  of  producing 
portions  of  this  improvement,  it  has  oftener  been  without 
design,  or  calculation,  than  with  it.  Who,  for  instance, 
supposes  that  the  institutions  of  this  country,  of  which  we 
boast  so  much,  could  have  stood  as  long  as  they  have, 
without  the  conservative  principles  that  are  to  be  found  in 
the  Union ;  and  who  is  there  so  vain  as  to  ascribe  the  over 
shadowing  influence  of  this  last  great  power  to  any  wisdom 
in  man?  We  all  know  that  perfectly  fortuitous  circum 
stances,  or  what  appear  to  us  to  be  such,  produced  the 
Federal  Government,  and  that  its  strongest  and  least  ex 
ceptionable  features  are  precisely  those  which  could  not 
be  withstood,  much  less  invented,  as  parts  of  the  theory  of 
a  polity. 

A  great  and  spasmodic  political  movement  is,  at  this 
moment,  convulsing  Christendom.  That  good  will  come 
of  it,  we  think  is  beyond  a  question ;  but  we  greatly  doubt 
whether  it  will  come  in  the  particular  form,  or  by  the  spe 
cified  agencies  that  human  calculations  would  lead  us  to 
expect.  It  must  be  admitted  that  the  previous  preparation 
which  has  induced  the  present  efforts,  are  rather  in  oppo 
sition  to,  than  the  consequences  of,  calculated  agencies; 
overturning  in  their  progress  the  very  safeguards  which  the 
sagacity  of  men  had  interposed  to  the  advance  cf  those 
34 


398  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

very  opinions  that  have  been  silently,  and  by  means  that 
would  perhaps  baffle  enquiry,  preparing  the  way  for  the 
results  that  have  been  so  suddenly  and  unexpectedly  ob 
tained.  If  the  course  is  onward,  it  is  more  as  the  will  of 
God,  than  from  any  calculations  of  man ;  and  it  is  when 
the  last  are  the  most  active,  that  there  is  the  greatest  rea 
son  to  apprehend  the  consequences. 

Of  such  a  dispensation  of  the  Providence  of  Almighty 
God,  do  we  believe  Peter  to  have  been  the  subject. 
Among  the  thousand  ways  that  are  employed  to  touch  the 
heart,  he  had  been  most  affected  by  the  sight  of  a  dying 
man's  asking  benedictions  on  his  enemies !  It  was  assail 
ing  his  besetting  sin;  attacking  the  very  citadel  of  hia 
savage  character,  and  throwing  open,  at  once,  an  approach 
into  the  deepest  recesses  of  his  habits  and  dispositions. 
It  was  like  placing  a  master-key  in  the  hands  of  him  who 
would  go  through  the  whole  tenement,  for  the  purpose  of 
purifying  it. 


CHAPTER  XXYII. 

"Thou  to  whom  every  faun  and  satyr  flies 
For  willing  service ;  whether  to  surprise 
The  squatted  hare,  while  in  half-sleeping  fits, 
Or  upward  ragged  precipices  flit 
To  save  poor  lambkins  from  the  eagle's  maw  ; 
Or  by  mysterious  enticement  draw 
Bewildered  shepherds  to  their  path  again  ;  —  " 

KEATS. 

IT  -can  easily  be  understood  that  the  party  with  the 
canoes  were  left  by  Peter  in  a  state  of  great  anxiety.  The 
distance  between  the  site  of  the  hut  and  their  place  of  con 
cealment  was  but  little  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  and 
the  yell  of  the  savages  had  often  reached  their  ears,  not 
withstanding  the  cover  of  the  woods.  This  proximity,  of 
itself,  was  fearful ;  but  the  uncertainty  that  le  Bourdon  felt 
on  the  subject  of  Peter's  real  intentions,  added  greatly  to 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 


399 


his  causes  of  concern.  Of  course,  he  knew  but  little  of 
the  sudden  change  that  had  come  over  this  mysterious 
chiefs  feelings;  nor  is  it  very  likely  that  he  would  have 
been  able  to  appreciate  it,  even  had  the  fact  been  more 
fully  stated.  Our  hero  had  very  little  acquaintance  with 
the  dogmas  of  Christianity,  and  would  have  most  probably 
deemed  it  impossible  that  so  great  a  revolution  of  purpose 
could  have  been  so  suddenly  wrought  in  the  mind  of  man, 
had  the  true  state  of  the  case  been  communicated  to  him. 
He  would  have  been  ready  enough  to  allow  that,  with 
God,  nothing  is  impossible;  but,  might  have  been  disposed 
to  deny  the  influence  of  His  Holy  Spirit,  as  exhibited  in 
this  particular  form,  for  a  reason  no  better  than  the  cir 
cumstance  that  he  himself  had  never  been  the  subject  of 
such  a  power.  All  that  Peter  had  said,  therefore,  served 
rather  to  mystify  him,  than  to  explain,  in  its  true  colours, 
what  had  actually  occurred.  With  Margery  it  was  differ 
ent.  Her  schooling  had  been  far  better  than  that  of  any 
other  of  the  party,  and,  while  she  admired  the  manly  ap 
pearance,  and  loved  the  free,  generous,  character  of  her 
husband,  she  had  more  than  once  felt  pained  at  the  pass 
ing  thoughts  of  his  great  indifference  to  sacred  things. 
This  feeling  in  le  Bourdon,  however,  was  passive  rather 
than  active,  and  gave  her  a  kind  interest  in  his  future  wel 
fare,  rather  than  any  present  pain  through  acts  and  words. 

But,  as  respects  their  confidence  in  Peter,  this  young 
couple  were  much  farther  apart  than  in  their  religious 
notions.  The  bee-hunter  had  never  been  without  distrust, 
though  his  apprehensions  had  been  occasionally  so  far 
quieted  as  to  leave  him  nearly  free  of  them,  altogether; 
while  his  wife  had  felt  the  utmost  confidence  in  the  chief, 
from  the  very  commencement  of  their  acquaintance.  It 
would  be  useless,  perhaps,  to  attempt  to  speculate  on  the 
causes ;  but  it  is  certain  that  there  are  secret  sources  of 
sympathy  that  draw  particular  individuals  towards  each 
other,  and  antipathies  that  keep  them  widely  separated. 
Men  shall  meet  for  the  first  time,  and  feel  themselves  at 
tracted  towards  each  other,  like  two  drops  of  water,  or  re 
pelled,  like  the  corks  of  an  electric  machine. 

The  former  had  been  the  case  with  Peter  and  Margery. 
They  liked  each  other  from  the  first,  and  kind  offices  had 


400 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 


8oon  come  to  increase  this  feeling.  The  girl  had  new  seen 
so  much  of  the  Indians,  as  to  regard  them  much  as  she 
did  others,  or  with  the  discriminations,  and  tastes,  or  dis 
tastes,  with  which  we  all  regard  our  fellow-creatures ;  feel 
ing  no  particular  cause  of  estrangement.  It  is  true,  that 
Margery  would  not  have  been  very  likely  to  fall  in  love 
with  a  young  Indian,  had  one  come  in  her  way  of  a  suit 
able  age  and  character;  for  her  American  notions  on  the 
subject  of  colour,  might  have  interposed  difficulties;  but, 
apart  from  the  tender  sentiments,  she  could  see  good  and 
bad  qualities  in  one  of  the  aborigines,  as  well  as  in  a  white 
man.  As  a  consequence  of  this  sympathy  between  Petei 
and  Margery,  the  last  had  ever  felt  the  utmost  confidence 
in  the  protection  and  friendship  of  the  first.  This  she 
did,  even  while  the  struggle  was  going  on  in  his  breast  on 
the  subject  of  including  her  in  his  fell  designs,  or  of  making 
an  exception  in  her  favour.  It  shows  the  waywardness  of 
our  feelings,  that  Margery  had  never  reposed  confidence  in 
Pigeonswing,  who  was  devotedly  the  friend  of  le  Bourdon, 
and  who  remained  with  them  for  no  other  reason  than  a 
general  wish  to  be  of  use.  Something  brusque  in  his  man 
ner,  which  was  much  less  courteous  and  polished  than  that 
of  Peter,  had  early  rendered  her  dissatified  with  him,  and 
once  estranged,  she  had  never  felt  disposed  to  be  on  terms 
of  intimacy,  sufficient  to  ascertain  his  good  or  bad  qualities. 
The  great  change  of  feeling  in  Peter  was  not  very  clearly 
understood  by  Margery,  any  more  than  it  was  by  her  hus 
band  ;  though  had  her  attention  been  drawn  more  strictly 
to  it,  she  would  have  best  known  how  to  appreciate  it.  But 
this  knowledge  was  not  wanting  to  put  her  perfectly  at 
peace,  so  far  as  apprehensions  of  his  doing  her  harm  were 
concerned.  This  sense  of  security  she  now  manifested  in 
a  conversation  with  le  Bourdon,  that  took  place  soon  after 
Peter  had  left  them. 

"  I  wish  we  weren't  in  the  hands  of  this  red-skin,  Mar 
gery,"  said  her  husband,  a  little  more  off  his  guard  than 
was  his  wont. 

"  Of  Peter  !  You  surprise  me,  Benjamin.  I  think  we 
could  not  be  in  better  hands,  since  we  have  got  this  risk  to 
run  with  the  savages.  If  it  was  Pigeonswing  that  you 
feared,  I  could  understand  it." 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  401 

11 1  will  answer  for  Pigeonswing  with  my  life." 

"  I  am  glad  to  hear  you  say  so,  for  /  do  not  half  like 
him.  Perhaps  I  am  prejudiced  against  him.  The  scalp  he 
took  down  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  set  me  against  him 
from  the  first." 

"  Do  you  not  know,  Margery,  that  your  great  friend  goes 
by  the  name  of  "  Scalping  Peter  V  " 

"  Yes,  I  know  it  very  well ;  but  I  do  not  believe  he  ever 
took  a  scalp  in  his  life." 

"  Did  he  ever  tell  you  as  much  as  that?" 

"  I  can't  say  that  he  did;  but  he  has  never  paraded  any 
thing  of  the  sort  before  my  eyes,  like  Pigeonswing.  I  do 
not  half  like  that  Chippewa,  dear  Bourdon." 

"  No  fear  of  him,  Margery ;  nor,  when  I  come  to  think 
it  all  over,  do  I  see  why  Peter  should  have  brought  us  here, 
if  he  means  anything  wrong.  The  man  is  so  myterious, 
that  I  cannot  line  him  down  to  his  hole." 

"  My  word  for  it,  Bourdon,  that  when  you  do,  it  will  take 
you  to  a  friendly  hive.  I  have  put  almost  as  much  faith  in 
Peter  as  in  you  or  Gershom.  You  heard  what  he  said 
about  Parson  Amen  and  the  corporal." 

"  And  how  coolly  he  took  it  all,"  answered  her  husband, 
shaking  his  head.  "  It  has  been  a  sudden  departure  for 
them,  and  one  would  think  even  an  Injin  might  have  felt  it 
more." 

Margery's  cheek  grew  pale,  and  her  limbs  trembled  a 
little.  It  was  a  minute  ere  she  could  pursue  the  discourse. 

"  This  is  terrible,  but  I  will  not,  cannot,  believe  it,"  she 
said.  "I'm  sure,  Bourdon,  we  ought  to  be  very  thankful 
to  Peter  for  having  brought  us  here.  Remember  how  earn 
estly  he  listened  to  the  words  of  the  Saviour." 

"If  he  has  brought  us  here  with  a  good  intention,  I 
thank  him  for  it.  But  I  scarce  know  what  to  think.  Pi 
geonswing  has  given  me  many  a  hint,  which  I  have  under 
stood  to  mean  that  we  ought  not  to  trust  this  unknown 
Injin  too  much." 

"  So  has  he  given  me  some  of  his  hints,  though  I  would 
sooner  trust  Peter  than  trust  him  any  time." 

"  Our  lives  are  in  the  care  of  Providence,  I  see.  If  we 
can  really  rely  on  these  two  Injins,  all  may  be  well ;  for 
34* 


402  THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

Peter  has  brought  us  to  an  admirable  cover,  and  he  says 
that  the  Chippewa  prepared  it." 

The  young  husband  and  his  wife  now  landed,  and  began 
to  examine  more  particularly  into  the  state  of  the  swamp, 
near  their  place  of  concealment.  Just  at  that  spot  the  bank 
of  the  river  was  higher  than  in  most  of  the  low  land,  and 
was  dry,  with  a  soil  that  approached  sand.  This  was  the 
place  where  the  few  young  pines  had  grown.  The  dry 
ground  might  have  covered  four  or  five  acres,  and  so  many 
trees  having  been  felled,  light  and  air  were  admitted,  in  a 
way  to  render  the  place  comparatively  cheerful.  The 
branches  of  the  felled  trees  made  a  sufficient  cover  in  all 
directions,  though  the  swamp  itself  was  more  than  that, 
almost  a  defence,  towards  the  Openings.  The  bee-hunter 
found  it  was  possible,  though  it  was  exceedingly  difficult, 
to  make  his  way  through  it.  He  ascertained  the  fact,  how 
ever,  since  it  might  be  important  to  their  future  movements 
to  know  it. 

In  a  word,  le  Bourdon  made  a  complete  reconnaissance 
of  his  position.  He  cleared  a  spot  for  the  females,  and 
made  a  sort  of  hut,  that  would  serve  as  a  protection 
against  rain,  and  in  which  they  all  might  sleep  at  night. 
There  was  little  doubt  that  this  place  must  be  occupied  for 
some  days,  if  Peter  was  acting  in  good  faith,  since  an  early 
movement  would  infallibly  lead  to  detection.  Time  must 
be  given  to  the  Indians  to  precede  them,  or  the  great  num 
bers  of  the  savages  would  scarce  leave  a  hope  of  escape, 
A  greater  sense  of  security  succeeded  this  examination, 
and  these  arrangements.  The  danger  was  almost  entirely 
to  be  apprehended  on  the  side  of  the  river.  A  canoe  pass 
ing  up-stream  might,  indeed,  discover  their  place  of  con 
cealment,  but  it  was  scarcely  to  be  apprehended  that 
one  would  wade  through  the  mud  and  water  of  the  swamp 
to  approach  them  in  any  other  direction. 

Under  these  circumstances,  le  Bourdon  began  to  feel 
more  security  in  their  position.  Could  he  now  be  certain 
of  Peter,  his  mind  would  be  comparatively  at  ease,  and  he 
might  turn  his  attention  altogether  to  making  the  party 
comfortable.  Margery,  who  seldom  quitted  his*  side,  rea 
soned  with  him  on  the  subject  of  the  mysterious  chief's 
good  faith,  and  by  means  of  her  own  deep  reliance  on  him, 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  403 

the  came  at  last  to  the  point  of  instilling  some  of  her  own 
confidence  into  the  mind  of  her  husband.  From  that  time 
he  worked  at  the  shelter  for  the  females,  and  the  other 
little  arrangements  their  situation  rendered  necessary,  with 
greater  zest,  and  with  far  more  attention  to  the  details. 
So  long  as  we  are  in  doubt  of  accomplishing  good,  we  he 
sitate  about  employing  our  energies;  but  once  let  hope 
revive  within  us,  in  the  shape  of  favourable  results,  and  we 
become  new  men ;  bracing  every  nerve  to  the  task,  and 
working  with  redoubled  spirit ;  even  should  it  be  at  the 
pump  of  the  sinking  ship,  which  we  believe  ranks  the 
highest  among  the  toils  that  are  inflicted  on  the  unfor 
tunate. 

For  three  days  and  nights  did  le  Bourdon  and  his  friends 
remain  on  that  dry  land  of  the  swamp,  without  hearing  or 
seeing  anything  of  either  Peter  or  Pigeonswing.  The 
time  was  growing  long,  and  the  party  anxious;  though 
the  sense  of  security  was  much  increased  by  this  apparent 
exemption  from  danger.  Still,  uncertainty,  and  the  wish 
to  ascertain  the  precise  state  of  things  in  the  Openings, 
were  gradually  getting  to  be  painful,  and  it  was  with  great 
satisfaction  that  the  bee-hunter  met  his  young  wife  as  she 
came  running  towards  him,  on  the  morning  of  the  fourth 
day,  to  announce  that  an  Indian  was  approaching,  by 
wading  in  the  margin  of  the  river,  keeping  always  in  the 
water  so  as  to  leave  no  trail.  Hurrying  to  a  point  whence 
their  visiter  might  be  seen,  le  Bourdon  soon  perceived  it 
was  no  other  than  Pigeonswing.  In  a  few  minutes  this 
Indian  arrived,  and  was  gladly  received  by  all  four  of  the 
fugitives ;  who  gathered  around  him  eager  to  hear  the 
news. 

"  You  are  welcome,  Chippewa,"  cried  le  Bourdon, 
shaking  his  friend  cordially  by  the  hand.  "We  were  half 
afraid  we  might  never  see  you  again.  Do  you  bring  us 
good,  or  evil  tidings?" 

"  Must  n't  be  squaw,  and  ask  too  much  question,  Bour 
don,"  returned  the  red-skin,  carefully  examining  the  prim 
ing  of  his  rifle,  in  order  to  make  sure  it  was  not  wet. 
"Got  plenty  venison,  eh?" 

"  Not  much  venison  is  left,  but  we  have  caught  a  good 
many  fish,  which  have  helped  us  along.  I  have  killed  A 


404  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

dozen  large  squirrels,  too,  with  your  bow  and  arrows,  which 
I  find  you  left  in  your  canoe.  But — " 

"  Yes,  he  good  bow,  dat — might  kill  hummin'-bird  wid 
dat  bow.  Fish  good  here,  eh  ?" 

"  They  are  eatable,  when  a  body  can  get  no  better.  But 
now,  I  should  think,  Pigeonswing,  you  might  give  us  some 
of  the  news." 

"  Must  n't  be  squaw,  Bourdon^ — bad  for  warrior  be  squaw. 
Alway  bess  be  man,  and  be  patient,  like  man.  What  you 
t'ink,  Bourdon?  Got  him  at  last!" 

"Got  what,  my  good  fellow?  I  see  nothing  about  you, 
but  your  arms  and  ammunition." 

"Got  scalp  of  dat  Weasel!  Wasn't  dat  well  done? 
Nebber  no  young  warrior  take  more  scalp  home  dan  Pi 
geonswing  carry  dis  time!  Got  t'ree;  all  hid,  where 
Bear's  Meat  nebber  know.  Take  'em  away,  when  he  get 
ready  to  march." 

u  Well,  well,  Chippewa — I  suppose  it  will  not  be  easy 
to  reason  you  out  of  this  feelin' — but  what  has  become 
of  the  red-skins  who  burned  my  cabin,  and  who  killed  the 
missionary  and  the  corporal  ?" 

"  All  about — dough  most  go  down  river.  Look  here, 
Bourdon,  some  of  dem  chief  fool  enough  to  t'ink  bee  carry 
you  off  on  his  wing!" 

Here  the  Chippewa  looked  his  contempt  for  the  credulity 
and  ignorance  of  the  others,  though  he  did  not  express  it 
after  the  boisterous  manner  in  which  a  white  man  of  his 
class  might  have  indulged.  To  him  le  Bourdon  was  a  good 
fellow,  but  no  conjuror,  and  he  understood  the  taking  of 
the  bee  too  well  to  have  any  doubts  as  to  the  character  of 
that  process.  His  friend  had  let  him  amuse  himself  by  the 
hour  in  looking  through  his  spy-glass,  so  that  the  mind  of 
this  one  savage  was  particularly  well  fortified  against  the 
inroads  of  the  weaknesses  that  had  invaded  those  of  most 
of  the  members  of  the  Great  Council.  Consequently,  he 
was  amused  with  the  notion  taken  up  by  some  of  the  others, 
that  le  Bourdon  had  been  carried  off  by  bees,  though  he 
manifested  his  amusement  in  a  very  Indian-like  fashion. 

"  So  much  the  better,"  answered  le  Bourdon  ;  "  and  1 
hope  they  have  followed,  to  line  me  down  to  my  hive  in  the 
settlements." 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  405 

"  Most  on  'em  go — yes,  dat  true.  But  some  don't  go. 
Plenty  of  Injins  still  about  dis  part  of  Opening." 

"  What  are  we  then  to  do?  We  shall  soon  be  in  want 
of  food.  -The  fish  do  not  bite  as  they  did,  and  I  have 
killed  all  the  squirrels  I  can  find.  You  know  I  dare  not 
use  a  rifle." 

"  Don't  be  squaw,  Bourdon.  When  Injin  get  marry  he 
grows  good  deal  like  squaw  at  fuss;  but  dat  soon  go  away. 
I  spose  its  just  so  wid  pale-face.  Mustn't  be  squaw,  Bour 
don.  Dat  bad  for  warrior.  What  you  do  for  eat?  Why, 
see  dere,"  pointing  to  an  object  that  was  floating  slowly 
down  the  river,  the  current  of  which  was  very  sluggish  just 
in  that  reach.  "  Dere  as  fat  buck  as  ever  did  see,  eh?" 

Sure  enough  the  Indian  had  killed  a  deer,  of  which  the 
Openings  were  full,  and  having  brought  it  to  the  river,  he 
had  constructed  a  raft  of  logs,  and  placing  the  carcase  on 
it,  he  had  set  his  game  adrift,  taking  care  to  so  far  precede 
it  as  to  be  in  readiness  to  tow  it  into  port.  When  this  last 
operation  was  performed,  it  was  found  that  the  Chippewa 
did  not  heedlessly  vaunt  the  quality  of  his  prize.  What 
was  more,  so  accurately  had  he  calculated  the  time,  and 
the  means  of  subsistence  in  the  possession  of  the  fugitives, 
that  his  supply  came  in  just  as  it  was  most  needed.  In  all 
this  he  manifested  no  more  than  the  care  of  an  experienced 
and  faithful  hunter.  Next  to  the  war-path,  the  hunting- 
ground  is  the  great  field  for  an  Indian's  glory;  deeds  and 
facts,  so  far  eclipsing  purely  intellectual  qualifications  with 
savages,  as  to  throw  oratory,  though  much  esteemed  by 
them,  and  wisdom  at  the  Council  Fires,  quite  into  the 
shade.  In  all  this,  we  find  the  same  propensity  among  our 
selves.  The  common  mind,  ever  subject  to  these  impulses, 
looks  rather  to  such  exploits  as  address  themselves  to  the 
senses  and  the  imagination,  than  to  those  qualities  which 
the  reason  alone  can  best  appreciate  ;  and  in  this,  ignorance 
asserts  its  negative  power  over  all  conditions  of  life. 

Pigeonswing  now  condescended  to  enter  on  such  ex 
planations  as  the  state  of  the  case  rendered  necessary.  His 
account  was  sufficiently  clear,  and  it  manifested  through 
out  the  sagacity  and  shrewdness  of  a  practised  hunter  and 
scout.  We  shall  not  attempt  to  give  his  words,  which 


406  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

would  require  too  much  space,  but  the  substance  of  his 
story  was  briefly  this. 

As  has  been  alluded  to  already,  the  principal  chiefs,  on 
a  suggestion  of  Bear's  Meat,  had  followed  the  young  men 
down  the  Kalamazoo,  dividing  themselves  by  a  part  of  their 
body's  crossing  the  stream  at  the  first  favourable  spot.  In 
this  way  the  Indians  proceeded,  sweeping  the  river  before 
them,  and  examining  every  place  that  seemed  capable  of 
concealing  a  canoe.  Runners  were  kept  in  constant  mo 
tion  between  the  several  parties,  in  order  to  let  the  state  of 
the  search  be  known  to  all ;  and,  feigning  to  be  one  of 
these  very  men,  Pigeonswing  had  held  communication  with 
several  whom  he  purposely  met,  and  to  whom  he  imparted 
such  invented  information  as  contributed  essentially  to  send 
the  young  men  forward  on  a  false  scent.  In  this  way,  the 
main  body  of  the  savages  descended  the  river  some  sixty 
miles,  following  its  windings,  in  the  first  day  and  a  half. 
Here  Pigeonswing  left  them,  turning  his  own  face  up  stream, 
in  order  to  rejoin  his  friends.  Of  Peter  he  had  no  know 
ledge;  neither  knowing,  nor  otherwise  learning,  what  had 
become  of  the  great  chief.  On  his  way  up  stream,  Pigeons- 
wing  met  several  more  Indians;  runners  like  himself,  or  aa 
he  seemed  to  be;  or  scouts  kept  on  the  look-out  for  the 
fugitives.  He  had  no  difficulty  in  deceiving  these  men. 
None  of  them  had  been  of  Crowsfeather's  party,  and  he 
was  a  stranger  to  them  all.  Ignorant  of  his  real  character, 
ihey  received  his  information  without  distrust,  and  the 
jrders  he  pretended  to  convey  were  obeyed  by  them  with- 
jut  the  smallest  hesitation.  In  this  way,  then,  Pigeonswing 
Contrived  to  send  all  the  scouts  he  met  away  from  the  river, 
jy  telling  them  that  there  was  reason  to  think  the  pale-faces 
.iad  abandoned  the  stream,  and  that  it  was  the  wish  of  Bear's 
Meat  that  their  trail  should  be  looked  for  in  the  interior. 
This  was  the  false  direction  that  he  gave  to  all,  thereby 
succeeding  better  even  than  he  had  hoped  in  clearing  the 
banks  of  the  Kalamazoo  of  observers  and  foes.  Neverthe 
less,  many  of  those  whom  he  knew  to  be  out,  some  quite 
in  the  rear  of  the  party,  and  others  in  its  front,  and  at  no 
great  distance  from  them,  he  did  not  meet ;  of  course  he 
could  not  get  his  false  directions  to  their  ears  There  were, 
in  fact,  so  many  of  the  Indians  and  so  few  of  the  whites, 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  407 

that  it  was  an  easy  matter  to  cover  the  path  with  young 
warriors,  any  one  party  of  whom  would  be  strong  enough 
to  capture  two  men  and  as  many  women. 

Having  told  the  tale  of  his  own  doings,  Pigeonswing 
next  came  to  his  proposition  for  the  mode  of  future  pro 
ceeding.  He  proposed  that  the  family  should  get  into  the 
canoes  that  very  night,  and  commence  its  flight  by  going 
down  the  stream  directly  towards  its  foes !  This  sounded 
strangely,  but  there  did  not  seem  to  be  any  alternative. 
A  march  across  the  peninsula  would  be  too  much  for  the 
females,  and  there  was  the  certainty  that  their  trail  would 
be  found.  It  may  seem  strange  to  those  who  are  unac 
quainted  with  the  American  Indian  and  his  habits,  to 
imagine  that,  in  so  large  an  expanse,  the  signs  of  the  pas 
sage  of  so  small  a  party  might  not  escape  detection ;  but 
such  was  the  case.  To  one  unaccustomed  to  the  vigilance 
and  intelligence  of  these  savages,  it  must  appear  just  as 
probable  that  the  vessel  could  be  followed  through  the 
wastes  of  the  ocean,  by  means  of  its  wake,  as  that  the  foot 
prints  should  be  so  indelible  as  to  furnish  signs  that  can 
be  traced  for  days.  Such,  however,  is  the  fact,  and  no 
one  understood  it  better  than  the  Chippevva.  He  was  also 
aware  that  the  country  towards  Ohio,  whither  the  fugitives 
would  naturally  direct  their  course,  now  that  the  English 
were  in  possession  of  Detroit,  must  soon  be  a  sort  of  bat 
tle-ground,  to  which  most  of  the  warriors  of  that  region 
would  eagerly  repair.  Under  all  the  circumstances,  there 
fore,  he  advised  the  flight  by  means  of  the  river.  Le 
Bourdon  reasoned  on  all  he  heard,  and,  still  entertaining 
some  of  his  latent  distrust  of  Peter,  and  willing  to  get 
beyond  his  reach,  he  soon  acquiesced  in  the  proposition, 
and  came  fully  into  the  plan. 

It  was  now  necessary  to  re-load  the  canoes.  This  was 
done  in  the  course  of  the  day,  and  every  arrangement  was 
made,  so  as  to  be  ready  for  a  start  as  soon  as  the  darkness 
set  in.  Everybody  was  glad  to  move,  though  all  were 
aware  of  the  extent  of  the  hazard  they  run.  The  females, 
in  particular,  felt  their  hearts  beat,  as  each,  in  her  hus 
band's  canoe,  issued  out  of  the  cover  into  the  open  river. 
Pigeonswing  took  the  lead,  paddling  with  a  slow,  but 
steady  sweep  of  his  arm,  and  keeping  as  close  as  was  c«>n- 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

venient  to  one  bank.  By  adopting  this  precaution,  he 
effectually  concealed  the  canoes  from  the  eyes  of  all  on 
that  side  of  the  river,  unless  they  stood  directly  on  its 
margin,  and  had  the  aid  of  the  shadows  to  help  conceal 
them  from  any  who  might  happen  to  be  on  the  other. 
In  this  way,  then,  the  party  proceeded,  passing  the  site  of 
the  hut,  and  the  grove  of  the  Openings  around  it,  unde 
tected.  As  the  river  necessarily  flowed  through  the  lowest 
land,  its  banks  were  wooded  much  of  the  way,  which 
afforded  great  protection  to  the  fugitives ;  and  this  so 
much  the  more  because  these  woods  often  grew  in  swamps 
where  the  scouts  would  not  be  likely  to  resort. 

About  midnight  the  canoes  reached  the  first  rift.  An 
hour  was  lost  in  unloading  and  in  reloading  the  canoes, 
and  in  passing  the  difficulties  at  that  point.  As  soon  as 
this  was  done,  the  party  re-embarked,  and  resorted  once 
more  to  the  use  of  the  paddle,  in  order  to  gain  a  particular 
sheltered  reach  of  the  river  previously  to  the  return  of  light. 
This  was  effected  successfully,  and  the  party  landed. 

ft  now  appeared  that  Pigeonswing  had  chosen  another 
swamp,  as  a  place  of  concealment  for  the  fugitives  to  use 
during  the  day.  These  swamps,  through  which  the  river 
wound  its  way  in  short  reaches,  were  admirably  adapted 
to  such  purposes.  Dark,  sombre,  and  hardly  penetrable 
on  the  side  of  the  land,  they  were  little  likely  to  be  entered 
after  a  first  examination.  Nor  was  it  at  all  probable  that 
females,  in  particular,  would  seek  a  refuge  in  such  a  place. 
But  the  Chippewa  had  found  the  means  to  obviate  the 
natural  obstacles  of  the  low  land.  There  were  several 
spots  where  the  water  from  the  river  set  back  into  the 
swamp,  forming  so  many  little  creeks  ;  and  into  the  largest 
of  one  of  these  he  pushed  his  canoe,  the  others  following 
where  he  led.  By  resorting  to  such  means,  the  shelter 
now  obtained  was  more  complete,  perhaps,  than  that  pre 
viously  left. 

Pigeonswing  forced  his  light  boat  up  the  shallow  inletj 
until  he  reached  a  bit  of  dry  land,  where  he  brought  up. 
announcing  that*  as  the  abiding-place  during  the  day.  Glad 
enough  was  every  one  to  get  on  shore,  in  a  spot  that  pro 
mised  security,  after  eight  hours  of  unremitted  paddling 
and  of  painful  excitement.  Notwithstanding  the  rifts  and 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  409 

arrying-places  they  had  met,  and  been  obliged  to  over 
come,  le  Bourdon  calculated  that  they  had  made  as  many 
as  thirty  miles  in  the  course  of  that  one  night.  This  was 
a  great  movement,  and  to  all  appearances  it  had  been 
made  without  detection.  As  for  the  Chippewa,  he  was 
quite  content,  and  no  sooner  was  his  canoe  secured,  than 
he  lighted  his  pipe  and  sat  down  to  its  enjoyment  with  an 
air  of  composure  and  satisfaction. 

"  And  here,  you  think,  Pigeonswing,  that  we  shall  be 
safe  during  the  day  ?"  demanded  le  Bourdon,  approaching 
the  fallen  tree  on  which  the  Indian  had  taken  his  seat. 

"  Sartain  —  no  Pottawattomie  come  here.  Too  wet. 
Don't  like  wet.  An't  duck,  or  goose — like  dry  land,  juss 
like  squaw.  Dis  good  'baccy,  Bourdon  —  hope  you  got 
more  for  friend." 

"  I  have  enough  for  us  all,  Pigeonswing,  and  you  shall 
have  a  full  share.  Now,  tell  me;  what  will  be  your  next 
move,  and  where  do  you  intend  us  to  pass  the  morrow?" 

"  Juss  like  diss.  Plenty  of  swamp,  Bourdon,  on  Kekala- 
mazoo.*  Run  canoe  in  swamp;  den  safe  'nough.  Injins 
won't  look  'ere,  'cause  he  don't  know  whereabout  look. 
Don't  like  swamp.  Great  danger  down  at  mouth  of  river." 

"  So  it  has  seemed  to  me,  Chippewa.  The  Injins  must 
be  there  in  a  strong  force,  and  we  shall  find  it  no  easy 
matter  to  get  through  them.  How  do  you  propose  to  do 
it?" 

"  Go  by  in  night.  No  udder  way.  When  can't  see, 
can't  see.  Dere  plenty  of  rush  dere;  dat  good  t'ing,  and 
p'raps  dat  help  us.  Rush  good  cover  for  canoe.  Expec', 
when  we  get  down  'ere,  to  get  some  scalp,  too.  Plenty  of 
Pottawattomie  about  dat  lodge,  sartain ;  and  it  very  hard 
if  don't  get  some  on  him  scalp.  You  mean  stop,  and  dig 
up  cache  ;  eh,  Bourdon  ?" 

The  cool,  quiet  manner  in  which  Pigeonswing  revealed 
his  own  plans,  and  enquired  into  those  of  his  friend,  had 
at  least  the  effect  to  revive  the  confidence  of  le  Bourdon. 
He  could  not  think  the  danger  very  great  so  long  as  one 
so  experienced  as  the  Chippewa  felt  so  much  confidence  in 

*  This  is  the  true  Indian  word,  though  the  whites  have  seen  fit 
to  omit  the  first  syllable. 
35 


410  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

nis  own  future  proceedings ;  and,  after  talking  a  short  time 
longer  with  this  man,  the  bee-hunter  went  to  seek  Mar 
gery,  in  order  to  impart  to  her  a  due  portion  of  his  own 
hopes. 

The  sisters  were  preparing  the  breakfast.  This  was 
done  without  the  use  of  fire,  it  being  too  hazardous  to  per 
mit  smoke  to  rise  above  the  tops  of  the  trees.  Many  is 
the  camp  that  has  been  discovered  by  the  smoke,  which 
can  be  seen  at  a  great  distance,  and  is  a  certain  sign  of  the 
presence  of  man,  when  it  ascends  in  threads,  or  such  small 
columns  as  denote  a  domestic  fire  beneath.  This  is  very 
different  from  the  clouds  that  float  above  the  burning 
prairies,  and  which  all,  at  once,  impute  to  their  true  origin. 
The  danger  of  using  fire  had  been  so  much  guarded  against, 
by  our  fugitives,  that  the  cooking  of  the  party  had  been 
done  at  night;  the  utmost  caution  having  been  used  to 
prevent  the  fire  itself  from  being  seen,  and  care  taken  to 
extinguish  it  long  before  the  return  of  day.  A  supply  of 
cold  meat  was  always  on  hand,  and  had  it  not  been,  the 
fugitives  would  have  known  how  to  live  on  berries,  or,  at 
need,  to  fast :  anything  was  preferable,  being  exposed  to 
certain  capture. 

As  soon  as  the  party  had  broken  their  fast,  arrangements 
were  made  for  recruiting  nature  by  sleep.  As  for  Pigeons- 
wing,  Indian-like,  he  had  eaten  enormously,  no  reasonable 
quantity  of  venison  sufficing  to  appease  his  appetite ;  and 
when  he  had  eaten,  he  lay  down  in  the  bottom  of  his  canoe 
and  slept.  Similar  dispositions  were  made  of  their  persons, 
by  the  rest,  and  half  an  hour  after  the  meal  was  ended, 
all  there  were  in  a  profound  sleep.  No  watch  was  con 
sidered  necessary,  and  none  was  kept. 

The  rest  of  the  weary  is  sweet.  Long  hours  passed, 
ere  any  one  there  awoke ;  but  no  sooner  did  the  Chippewa 
move,  than  all  the  rest  were  afoot.  It  was  now  late  in  the 
day,  and  it  was  time  to  think  of  taking  the  meal  that  was 
to  sustain  them  through  the  toil  and  fatigues  of  another 
arduous  night.  This  was  done,  the  necessary  preparations 
being  made  for  a  start  ere  the  sun  had  set.  The  canoes 
were  then  shoved  as  near  the  mouth  of  the  inlet,  as  it  was 
safe  to  go  while  the  light  remained.  Here  they  stopped, 
and  a  consultation  took  place,  as  to  the  manner  of  pro 
ceeding. 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  411 

No  sooner  did  the  shades  of  evening  close  around  the 
place,  than  the  fugitives  again  put  forth.  The  night 
was  clouded  and  dark,  and  so  much  of  the  way  now  lay 
through  forests,  that  there  was  little  reason  to  apprehend 
detection.  The  chief  causes  of  delay  were  the  rifts,  and 
the  portages,  as  had  been  the  case  the  night  before.  Luckily, 
le  Bourdon  had  been  up  and  down  the  stream  so  often, 
as  to  be*a  very  tolerable  pilot  in  its  windings.  He  assumed 
the  control,  and  by  midnight  the  greatest  obstacle  to  that 
evening's  progress  was  overcome.  At  the  approach  of  day, 
Pigeonswing  pointed  out  another  creek,  in  another  swamp, 
where  the  party  found  a  refuge  for  the  succeeding  day. 
In  this  manner  four  nights  were  passed  on  the  river,  and 
as  many  days  in  swamps,  without  discovery.  The  Chip- 
pewa  had  nicely  calculated  his  time  and  his  distances,  and 
not  the  smallest  mistake  was  made.  Each  morning  a  place 
of  shelter  was  reached  in  sufficient  season;  and  each  night 
the  fugitives  were  ready  for  the  start  as  the  day  shut  in. 
In  this  manner,  most  of  the  river  was  descended,  until  a 
distance  that  could  be  easily  overcome  in  a  couple  of  hours 
of  paddling,  alone  remained  between  the  party  and  the 
mouth  of  the  stream.  Extreme  caution  was  now  necessary, 
for  signs  of  Indians  in  the  neighbourhood  had  been  detected 
at  several  points,  in  the  course  of  the  last  night's  work. 
On  one  occasion,  indeed,  the  escape  was  so  narrow  as  to 
be  worth  recording. 

It  was  at  a  spot  where  the  stream  flowed  through  a  forest 
denser  than  common,  that  Pigeonswing  heard  voices  on 
the  river,  ahead  of  him.  One  Indian  was  calling  to  an 
other,  asking  to  be  set  across  the  stream  in  a  canoe.  It 
was  too  late  to  retreat,  and  so  much  uncertainty  existed  as 
to  the  nearness,  or  distance,  of  the  danger,  that  the  Chip- 
pewa  deemed  it  safest  to  bring  all  three  of  his  canoes 
together,  and  to  let  them  float  past  the  point  suspected,  or 
rather  known,  to  be  occupied  by  enemies.  This  was  done, 
with  the  utmost  care.  The  plan  succeeded,  though  not 
without  running  a  very  great  risk.  The  canoes  did  float 
past  unseen,  though  there  was  a  minute  of  time  when  le 
Bourdon  fancied  by  the  sounds,  that  savages  were  talking 
to  each  other,  within  a  hundred  feet  of  his  ears.  Additional 
security  however  was  felt  in  consequence  of  the  circum- 


412  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

stance,  since  the  pursuers  must  imagine  the  river  below 
hem  to  be  free  from  the  pursued. 

The  halt  that  morning  was  made  earlier  than  had  been 
the  practice  previously.  This  was  done  because  the  remain 
ing  distance  was  so  small,  that  in  continuing  to  advance, 
the  party  would  have  incurred  the  risk  of  reaching  the 
mouth  of  the  river  by  daylight.  This  was  to  be  avoided  on 
every  account,  but  principally  because  it  was  of  great  im 
portance  to  conceal  from  the  savages  the  direction  taken. 
Were  the  chiefs  certain  that  their  intended  victims  were 
on  Lake  Michigan,  it  would  be  possible  for  them  to  send 
parties  across  the  isthmus,  that  should  reach  points  on  Lake 
Huron,  days  in  advance  of  the  arrival  of  the  bee-hunter  and 
his  friends  in  the  vicinity  of  Saginaw,  or  Pointe  aux  Barques, 
for  instance,  and  where  the  canoes  would  be  almost  certain 
to  pass  near  the  siiore,  laying  their  ambushes  to  accomplish 
these  ends.  It  was  thought  very  material,  therefore,  to 
conceal  the  movements,  even  after  the  lake  might  be  reach 
ed,  though  le  Bourdon  had  not  a  doubt  of  his  canoes  much 
outsailing  those  of  the  savages.  The  Indians  are  not  very 
skilful  in  the  use  of  sails,  while  the  bee-hunter  knew  how 
to  manage  a  bark  canoe  in  rough  water,  with  unusual  skill 
In  the  common  acceptation,  he  was  no  sailor ;  but,  in  his 
own  peculiar  craft,  there  was  not  a  man  living  who  could 
excel  him  in  dexterity  or  judgment. 

The  halting-place  that  morning  was  not  in  a  swamp,  for 
none  offered  at  a  suitable  distance  from  the  mouth  of  the 
river.  On  the  contrary,  it  was  in  a  piece  of  Opening, 
that  was  tolerably  well  garnished  with  trees,  however,  and 
through  which  ran  a  small  brook  that  poured  its  tribute  into 
the  Kalamazoo.  The  Chippewa  had  taken  notice  of  this 
brook,  which  was  large  enough  to  receive  the  canoes,  where 
they  might  be  concealed  in  the  rushes.  A  favourable  copse, 
surrounded  with  elders,  afforded  a  covered  space  on  shore, 
and  these  advantages  were  improved  for  an  encampment. 

Instead  of  seeking  his  rest  as  usual,  on  reaching  this 
cover,  Pigeonswing  left  the  party  on  a  scout.  He  walked 
up  the  brook  some  distance,  in  order  to  conceal  his  trail, 
and  then  struck  across  the  Opening,  taking  the  direction 
westward,  or  towards  the  river's  mouth.  As  for  le  Bour- 


THE     OAK    OPENINGS.  413 

don  and  his  friends,  they  ate  and  slept  as  usual,  undisturb 
ed  ;  but  arose  some  hours  before  the  close  of  day. 

Thus  far,  a  great  work  had  been  accomplished.  The 
canoes  had  descended  the  stream  with  a  success  that  was 
only  equalled  by  the  hardihood  of  the  measure,  conducted 
by  an  intelligence  that  really  seemed  to  amount  to  an  in 
stinct.  Pigeonswing  carried  a  map  of  the  Kalamazoo  in 
his  head,  and  seemed  never  at  a  loss  to  know  where  to  find 
the  particular  place  he  sought.  It  is  true,  he  had  roamed 
through  those  Openings  ever  since  he  was  a  child ;  and  an 
Indian  seldom  passes  a  place  susceptible  of  being  made  of 
use  to  his  habits,  that  he  does  not  take  such  heed  of  its 
peculiarities,  as  to  render  him  the  master  of  all  its  facili 
ties. 

Margery  was  now  full  of  hope,  while  the  bee-hunter  was 
filled  with  apprehensions.  She  saw  all  things  couleur  de 
rose,  for  she  was  young,  happy,  and  innocent ;  but  he  better 
understood  that  they  were  just  approaching  the  most  serious 
moment  of  their  flight.  He  knew  the  vigilance  of  the 
American  savage,  and  could  not  deceive  himself  on  the 
subject  of  the  danger  they  must  run.  The  mouth  of  the 
river  was  just  the  place  that,  of  all  others,  would  be  the 
closest  watched,  and  to  pass  it  would  require  not  only  all 
their  skill  and  courage,  but  somewhat  of  the  fostering  care 
of  Providence.  It  might  be  done  with  success,  though  the 
chances  were  much  against  it. 
35* 


414  THE    OAK     OPENINGS, 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

Yes !  we  have  need  to  bid  our  hopes  repose 
On  some  protecting  influence ;  here  confined, 
Life  hath  no  healing  balm  for  mental  woes ; 
Earth  is  too  narrow  for  the  immortal  mind. 
Our  spirits  burn  to  mingle  with  the  day, 
As  exiles  panting  for  their  native  coast; 
Yet  lured  by  every  wild-flower  from  their  way, 
And  shrinking  from  the  gulf  that  must  be  crossed; 
Death  hovers  round  us  —  in  the  zephyr's  sigh 
As  in  the  storm  he  comes  —  and  lo  !  Eternity! 

MRS.  HEMAWS. 

IT  was  probably  that  inherent  disposition  to  pry  into 
unknown  things,  which  is  said  to  mark  her  sex,  and  which 
was  the  weakness  assailed  by  the  serpent  when  he  deluded 
Eve  into  disobedience,  that  now  tempted  Margery  to  go 
beyond  the  limits  which  Pigeonswing  had  set  for  her,  with 
a  view  to  explore  and  ascertain  what  might  be  found  with 
out.  In  doing  this,  however,  she  did  not  neglect  a  certain 
degree  of  caution,  and  avoided  exposing  her  person  as 
much  as  possible. 

Margery  had  got  to  the  very  verge  of  prudence,  so  far  as 
the  cover  was  concerned,  when  her  steps  were  suddenly 
arrested  by  a  most  unexpected  and  disagreeable  sight.  An 
Indian  was  seated  on  a  rock  within  twenty  feet  of  the 
place  where  she  stood.  His  back  was  towards  her,  but 
she  was  certain  it  could  not  be  Pigeonswing,  who  had  gone 
in  a  contrary  direction,  while  the  frame  of  this  savage  was 
much  larger  and  heavier  than  that  of  the  Chippewa.  His 
rifle  leaned  against  the  rock,  near  his  arm,  and  the  toma 
hawk  and  knife  were  in  his  belt ;  still  Margery  thought,  so 
far  as  she  could  ascertain,  that  he  was  not  in  his  war-paint, 
as  she  knew  was  the  fact  with  those  whom  she  had  seen  at 
Prairie  Round.  The  attitude  and  whole  deportment  of  this 
stranger,  too,  struck  her  as  remarkable.  Although  our  he 
roine  stood  watching  him  for  several  minutes,  almost 
breathless  with  terror  and  anxiety  to  learn  his  object,  he 
never  stirred  even  a  limb  in  all  that  time.  There  he  sate, 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  415 

motionless  as  the  rock  on  which  he  had  placed  himself;  a 
picture  of  solitude  and  reflection ! 

It  was  evident,  moreover,  that  this  stranger  also  sought 
a  species  of  concealment,  as  well  as  the  fugitives.  It  is 
true  he  had  not  buried  himself  in  a  cover  of  bushes;  bul 
his  seat  was  in  a  hollow  of  the  ground  where  no  one  could 
have  seen  him,  from  the  rear  or  on  either  side,  at  a  dis 
tance  a  very  little  greater  than  that  at  which  Margery 
stood,  while  his  front  was  guarded  from  view  by  a  line  of 
bushes  that  fringed  the  margin  of  the  stream.  Marius, 
pondering  on  the  mutations  of  fortune,  amid  the  ruins  of 
Carthage,  could  scarcely  have  presented  a  more  striking 
object  than  the  immoveable  form  of  this  stranger.  At 
length  the  Indian  slightly  turned  his  head,  when  his 
observer,  to  her  great  surprise,  saw  the  hard,  red,  but 
noble  and  expressive  profile  of  the  well-known  features  of 
Peter. 

In  an  instant  all  Margery's  apprehensions  vanished,  and 
her  hand  was  soon  lightly  laid  on  the  shoulder  of  her 
friend.  Notwithstanding  the  suddenness  of  this  touch,  the 
great  chief  manifested  no  alarm.  He  turned  his  head 
slowly,  and  when  he  saw  the  bright  countenance  of  the 
charming  bride,  his  smile  met  hers  in  pleased  recognition. 
There  was  no  start,  no  exclamation,  no  appearance  of  sur 
prise;  on  the  contrary,  Peter  seemed  to  meet  his  pretty 
young  friend  much  as  a  matter  of  course,  and  obviously 
with  great  satisfaction. 

"  How  lucky  this  is,  Peter !"  exclaimed  the  breathless 
Margery.  "  Bourdon's  mind  will  now  be  at  rest,  for  he 
was  afraid  you  had  gone  to  join  our  enemies ;  Bear's  Meat 
and  his  party." 

"  Yes ;  go  and  stay  wid  'em.  So  bess.  Now  dey  t'ink 
Peter  all  on  deir  side.  But  nebber  forget  you,  young 
Blossom." 

"  I  believe  you,  Peter ;  for  I  feel  as  if  you  are  a  true 
friend.  How  lucky  that  we  should  meet  here!" 

4<  No  luck  at  all.  Come  a  purpose.  Pigeonswing  tell 
me  where  you  be,  so  come  here.  Juss  so." 

"  Then  you  expected  to  find  us  in  this  cover !  and  what 
have  you  to  tell  us  of  our  enemies?" 

"  Plenty  of  dcm.     All  about  mout'  of  river,     All  about 


416  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

woods  and  openin's,  here.  More  dan  you  count.  T'infe 
of  nuttin'  but  get  your  scalp." 

"Ah!  Peter;  —  why  is  it  that  you  red  men  wish  so 
much  to  take  our  lives? — and  why  have  you  destroyed  the 
missionary,  a  pious  Christian,  who  wished  for  nothing  but 
your  good?" 

Peter  bent  his  eyes  to  the  earth,  and  for  more  than  a 
minute  he  made  no  reply.  He  was  much  moved,  however, 
as  was  visible  in  his  countenance,  which  plainly  denoted 
that  strong  emotions  were  at  work  within. 

"  Blossom,  listen  to  my  words,"  he,  at  length,  answered. 
"  They  are  such  as  a  fader  would  speak  to  his  da'ghter. 
You  my  da'ghter.  Tell  you  so,  once;  and  what  Injin  say 
once,  he  say  alway.  Poor,  and  don't  know  much,  but 
know  how  to  do  as  he  say  he  do.  Yes,  you  my  da'ghter ! 
Bear's  Meat  can't  touch  you,  widout  he  touch  me.  Bour 
don  your  husband ;  you  his  squaw.  Husband  and  squaw 
go  togedder,  on  same  path.  Dat  right.  But,  Blossom, 
listen.  Dere  is  Great  Spirit.  Injin  believe  dat  as  well  as 
pale-face  See  dat  is  so.  Dere  is  Great  Wicked  Spirit, 
too.  Feel  dat,  too ;  can't  help  it.  For  twenty  winter  dat 
Great  Wicked  Spirit  stay  close  to  my  side.  He  put  his 
hand  before  one  of  my  ear,  and  he  put  his  mout'  to  tudder, 
Keep  whisper,  whisper,  whisper,  day  and  night,  nebber  stop 
whisper.  Tell  me  to  kill  pale-face,  wherever  I  find  him. 
Bess  to  kill  him.  If  did  n't  kill  pale-face,  pale-face  kill 
Injin.  No  help  for  it.  Kill  ole  man,  kill  young  man  ;  kill 
squaws,  pappoose  and  all.  Smash  eggs  and  break  up  'e 
nest.  Dat  what  he  whisper,  day  and  night,  for  twenty 
winters.  Whisper  so  much,  was  force  to  b'lieve  him.  Bad 
to  have  too  much  whisper  of  same  t'ing  in  ear.  Den,  I 
want  scalp.  Could  n't  have  too  much  scalp.  Took  much 
scalp.  All  pale-face  scalp.  Heart  grow  hard.  Great 
pleasure  was  to  kill  pale-face.  Dat  feeling  last,  Blossom, 
till  I  see  you.  Feel  like  fader  to  you,  and  don't  want  your 
scalp.  Won'er  great  deal  .why  I  feel  so,  but  do  feel  so. 
Dat  my  natur'.  Still  want  all  udder  pale-face  scalp.  Want 
Bourdon  scalp,  much  as  any." 

A  slight  exclamation  from  his  companion,  which  could 
scarcely  be  called  a  scream,  caused  the  Indian  to  cease 
speaking,  when  the  two  looked  towards  each  other,  and 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  417 

their  eyes  met.  Mirgery,  however,  saw  none  of  those 
passing  gleams  of  ferocity,  which  had  so  often  troubled 
her,  in  the  first  few  weeks  of  their  acquaintance;  in  their 
stead,  an  expression  of  subdued  anxiety,  and  an  earnest 
ness  of  inquiry  that  seemed  to  say  how  much  the  chief's 
heart  yearned  to  know  more  on  that  mighty  subject  towards 
which  his  thoughts  had  lately  been  turned.  The  mutual 
glance  sufficed  to  renew  the  confidence  our  heroine  was 
very  reluctant  to  relinquish,  while  it  awakened  afresh  all 
of  Peter's  parental  concern  in  the  welfare  of  the  interesting 
voung  woman  at  his  side. 

"  But,  this  feeling  has  left  you,  Peter,  and  you  no  longer 
wish  Bourdon's  scalp,"  said  Margery,  hastily.  "  Now  he 
is  my  husband,  he  is  your  son." 

'•'  Dat  good,  p'raps,"  answered  the  Injin,  "  but  dat  not  a 
reason,  nudder,  Blossom.  You  right,  too.  Don't  want 
Bourdon  scalp  ?\ny  longer.  Dat  true.  But  don't  want  any 
scalp,  any  more.  Heart  grow  soft — an't  hard,  now." 

"  I  wish  I  could  let  you  understand,  Peter,  how  much 
I  rejoice  to  hear  this !  I  have  never  felt  afraid  of  you,  on 
my  own  account,  though  I  will  own  that  I  hav«  sometimes 
feared  that  the  dreadful  cruel  stories  which  are  told  of 
your  enmity  to  my  colour  are  not  altogether  without  truth. 
Now,  you  tell  me  you  are  the  white  man's  friend,  and  that 
you  no  longer  wish  to  injure  him.  These  are  blessed 
words,  Peter ;  and  humbly  do  I  thank  God,  through  his 
blessed  Son,  that  I  have  lived  to  hear  them  !" 

"  Dat  Son  make  me  feel  so,"  returned  the  Indian,  earn 
estly.  "  Yes,  juss  so.  My  heart  was  hard,  till  medicine- 
priest  tell  dat  tradition  of  Son  of  Great  Spirit — how  he  die 
for  all  tribes  and  nations,  and  ask  his  fader  to  do  good  to 
dem  dat  take  his  life  —  dat  won'erful  tradition,  Blossom  ! 
Sound  like  song  of  wren  in  my  ear — sweeter  dan  mocking 
bird  when  he  do  his  bess.  Yes,  dat  won'erful.  He  true, 
too;  for  medicine-priest  ask  his  Manitou  to  bless  Injin, 
juss  as  Injin  lift  tomahawk  to  take  his  life.  I  see'd  arid 
heard  dat,  myself.  All,  won'erful,  won'erful !" 

"  It  was  the  Spirit  of  God  that  enabled  poor  Mr.  Amen 
to  do  that,  Peter ;  and  it  is  the  Spirit  of  God  that  teaches 
you  to  see  and  feel  the  beauty  of  such  an  act.  Without 
the  aid  of  that  Spirit,  we  are  helpless  as  children;  with  it. 


418  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

strong  as  giants.  I  do  not  wonder,  at  all,  that  the  good 
missionary  was  able  to  pray  for  his  enemies  with  his  dying 
breath.  God  gave  him  strength  to  do  so." 

Margery  spoke  as  she  felt,  earnestly  and  with  emphasis. 
Her  cheeks  flushed  with  the  strength  of  her  feelings,  and 
Peter  gazed  on  her  with  a  species  of  reverence  and  wonder. 
The  beauty  of  this  charming  young  woman  was  pleasing  rather 
than  brilliant,  depending  much  on  expression  for  its  power. 
A.  heightened  colour  greatly  increased  it,  and  when,  as  in 
this  instance,  the  eyes  reflected  the  tints  of  the  cheeks,  one 
might  have  journeyed  days  in  older  regions,  without  find 
ing  her  equal  in  personal  attractions.  Much  as  he  admire? 
her,  however,  Peter  had  now  that  on  his  mind  which  ren 
dered  her  beauty  but  a  secondary  object  with  him.  His 
soul  had  been  touched  by  the  unseen,  but  omnipresent, 
power  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  his  companion's  language 
and  fervour  contributed  largely  in  keeping  alive  his  interest 
in  what  he  felt.  • 

"  Nebber  know  Injin  do  dat — "  said  Peter,  in  a  slow, 
deliberative  sort  of  way ;  "  no,  nebber  know  Injin  do  so. 
Alway  curse  and  hate  his  enemy,  and  moss  when  about  to 
loee  his  scalp.  Den,  feelin  's  hottest.  Den,  most  want  to 
use  tomahawk  on  his  enemy.  Den,  most  feel  dat  he  hate 
him.  But,  not  so  wid  medicine-priest.  Pray  for  Injin  ; 
ask  Great  Spirit  to  do  him  all  'e  good  he  can ;  juss  as  Injin 
was  goin'  to  strike.  Won'erful,  won'erful — most  won'erful 
dat,  in  my  eyes.  Blossom,  you  know  Peter.  He  your 
fader.  He  take  you,  and  make  you  his  da'ghter.  His 
heart  is  soft  to  you,  Blossom.  But,  he  nuttin'  but  poor 
Injin,  dough  a  great  chief.  What  he  know?  Pale-face 
pappoose  know  more  dan  Injin  chief.  Dat  come  from 
Great  Spirit,  too.  He  wanted  it  so,  and  it  is  so.  Our 
chiefs  say  dat  Great  Spirit  love  Injin.  May  be  so.  T'ink 
he  love  ebbery  body ;  but  he  can't  love  Injin  as  much  as 
he  love  pale-face,  or  he  would  n't  let  red-man  know  so  little. 
Don't  count  wigwams,  and  towns,  and  canoes,  and  powder, 
and  lead,  as  proof  of  Great  Spirit's  love.  Pale-face  gof 
more  of  dese  dan  Injin.  Dat  I  see  and  know,  and  dat  I 
feel.  But  it  no  matter.  Injin  used  to  be  poor,  and  don't 
care.  When  used  to  be  poor,  den  used  to  it.  When  used 
to  be  rich,  den  it  hard  not  to  be  rich.  All  use.  Injin 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  419 

don't  care.  But  it  bad  not  to  know.  I'm  warrior — I'm 
hunter — I'm  great  chief.  You  squaw — you  young — you 
know  so  much  as  squaw  of  chief.  But  you  know  most.  I 
feel  ashamed  to  know  so  little.  Want  to  know  more. 
Want  to  know  most  how  'e  Son  of  Great  Spirit  die  for  all 
tribe,  and  pray  to  his  fader  to  bless  'em  dat  kill  him.  Dat 
what  Peter  now  want  moss  to  know !" 

"  I  wish  I  was  better  able  to  teach  you,  Peter,  from  the 
bottom  of  my  heart;  but  the  little  1  do  know  you  shall  hear. 
I  would  not  deny  you  for  a  thousand  worlds,  for  I  believe 
the  Holy  Spirit  has  touched  your  heart,  and  that  you  will 
become  a  new  man.  Christians  believe  that  all  must  be 
come  new  men,  who  are  to  live  in  the  other  world,  in  the 
presence  of  God." 

"  How  can  dat  be  ?  Peter  soon  be  ole — how  can  ole 
man  grow  young  ag'in?" 

"  The  meaning  of  this  is  that  we  must  so  change  in  feel 
ings,  as  no  longer  to  be  the  same  persons.  The  things  that 
we  loved  we  must  hate,  and  the  things  that  we  hated,  or  at 
least  neglected,  we  must  love.  When  we  feel  this  change 
in  our  hearts,  then  may  we  hope  that  we  love  and  reverence 
the  Great  Spirit,  and  are  living  under  his  holy  care." 

Peter  listened  with  the  attention  of  an  obedient  and  re 
spectful  child.  If  meekness,  humility,  a  wish  to  learn  the 
truth,  and  a  devout  sentiment  towards  the  Creator,  are  so 
many  indications  of  the  "  new  birth,"  then  might  this  sa 
vage  be  said  to  have  been  truly  "  born  again."  Certainly 
he  was  no  longer  the  same  man,  in  a  moral  point  of  view, 
and  of  this  he  was  himself  entirely  conscious.  To  him  the 
wonder  was  what  had  produced  so  great  and  so  sudden  a 
change !  But  the  reply  he  made  to  Margery  will,  of  itself, 
sufficiently  express  his  views  of  his  own  case. 

"  An  Injin  like  a  child,"  he  said  meekly,  "  nebber  know. 
Even  pale-face  squaw  know  more  dan  great  chief.  Neb 
ber  feel  as  do  now.  Heart  soft  as  young  squaw's.  Don't 
hate  anybody,  no  more.  Wish  well  to  all  tribe,  and  colour, 
and  nation.  Don't  hate  Bri'sh,  don't  hate  Yankee ;  don't 
hate  Cherokee,  even.  Wish  'em  all  well.  Don't  know 
dat  heart  is  strong  enough  to  ask  Great  Spirit  to  do  'em 
all  good,  if  dey  want  my  scalp— p'raps  dat  too  much  for 


420  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

poor  Injin ;  but  don't  want  nobody's  scalp,  myself.     Dat 
somet'in',  I  hope,  for  me." 

"It  is,  indeed,  Peter;  and  if  you  will  get  down  on  your 
knees,  and  humble  your  thoughts,  and  pray  to  God  to 
strengthen  you  in  these  good  feelings,  he  will  be  sure  to 
do  it,  and  make  you,  altogether,  a  new  man." 

Peter  looked  wistfully  at  Margery,  and  then  turned  his 
eyes  towards  the  earth.  After  sitting  in  a  thoughtful  mood 
for  some  time,  he  again  regarded  his  companion,  saying 
with  the  simplicity  of  a  child, 

"  Don't  know  how  to  do  dat,  Blossom.  Hear  medicine- 
priest  of  pale-faces  pray,  some  time,  but  poor  Injin  don't 
know  enough  to  speak  to  Great  Spirit.  You  speak  to  Great 
Spirit  for  him.  He  know  your  voice,  Blossom,  and  listen 
to  what  you  say;  but  he  won't  hear  Peter,  who  has  so  long 
hated  his  enemy.  P'raps  he  angry  if  he  hear  Peter  speak." 

"In  that  you  are  mistaken,  Peter.  The  ears  of  the 
Lord  are  ever  open  to  our  prayers,  when  put  up  in  sin 
cerity,  as  I  feel  certain  that  yours  will  now  be.  But,  after 
I  have  told  you  the  meaning  of  what  I  am  about  to  say,. 
I  will  pray  with  you  and  for  you.  It  is  best  that  you  should 
begin  to  do  this,  as  soon  as  you  can." 

Margery  then  slowly  repeated  to  Peter  the  words  of  the 
Lord's  prayer.  She  gave  him  its  history,  and  explained 
the  meaning  of  several  of  its  words  that  might  otherwise 
have  been  unintelligible  to  him,  notwithstanding  his  tole 
rable  proficiency  in  English — a  proficiency  that  had  greatly 
increased  in  the  last  few  weeks,  in  consequence  of  his  con 
stant  communications  with  those  who  spoke  it  habitually. 
The  word  "  trespasses"  in  particular,  was  somewhat  difficult 
for  the  Indian  to  comprehend,  but  Margery  persevered 
until  she  succeeded  in  giving  her  scholar  tolerably  accu 
rate  ideas  of  the  meaning  of  each  term.  Then  she  told 
the  Indian  to  kneel  with  her,  and,  for  the  first  time  in  his 
life,  that  man  of  the  Openings  and  Prairies,  lifted  his  voice 
in  prayer  to  the  one  God.  It  is  true  that  Peter  had  oftei 
oefore,  mentally  asked  favours  of  his  Manitou  ;  but  the  re 
quests  were  altogether  of  a  worldly  character,  and  the 
being  addressed  was  invested  with  attributes  very  different 
from  those  which  he  now  understood  to  belong  to  the  Lord 
of  Heaven  and  Earth.  Nor  was  the  spirit  in  asking,  at  all 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  421 

the  same.  We  do  not  wish  to  be  understood  as  saying 
that  this  Indian  was  already  a  full  convert  to  Christianity, 
which  contains  many  doctrines  of  which  he  had  not  the 
most  distant  idea ;  but  his  heart  had  undergone  the  first 
step  in  the  great  change  of  conversion,  and  he  was  now  as 
humble  as  he  had  once  been  proud ;  as  meek,  as  he  had 
formerly  been  fierce ;  and  he  felt  that  certain  proof  of  an 
incipient  love  of  the  Creator,  in  a  similar  feeling  towards 
all  the  works  of  his  hands. 

When  Peter  arose  from  his  knees,  after  repeating  the 
prayer  to  Margery's  slow  leading,  it  was  with  the  depend 
ence  of  a  child  on  the  teaching  of  its  mother.  Physically, 
he  was  the  man  he  ever  had  been.  He  was  able  to  endure 
fatigue,  as  sinewy  in  his  frame,  and  as  capable  of  fasting 
and  of  sustaining  fatigue,  as  in  his  most  warlike  days ;  but 
morally  the  change  was  great  indeed.  Instead  of  the  ob 
stinate  confidence  in  himself  and  his  traditions,  which  had 
once  so  much  distinguished  this  chief,  there  was  substituted 
an  humble  distrust  of  his  own  judgment,  that  rendered  him 
singularly  indisposed  to  rely  on  his  personal  views,  in  any 
matter  of  conscience,  and  he  was  truly  become  a  child  in  all 
that  pertained  to  his  religious  belief.  In  good  hands,  and 
under  more  advantageous  circumstances,  the  moral  im 
provement  of  Peter  would  have  been  great ;  but,  situated 
as  he  was,  it  could  not  be  said  to  amount  to  much  more 
than  a  very  excellent  commencement. 

All  this  time  both  Peter  and  Margery  had  been  too 
intent  on  their  feelings  and  employment,  to  take  much 
heed  to  the  precautions  necessary  to  their  concealment. 
The  sun  was  setting  ere  they  arose,  and  then  it  was  that 
Peter  made  the  important  discovery  that  they  were  ob 
served  by  two  of  the  young  men  of  the  Pottawattamies; 
scouts  kept  out  by  Bear's  Meat  to  look  for  the  fugitives. 

The  time  was,  when  Peter  would  not  have  hesitated  to 
use  his  rifle  on  these  unwelcome  intruders ;  but  the  better 
spirit  that  had  come  over  him  now  led  him  to  adopt  a  very 
different  course.  Motioning  to  the  young  men,  he  ordered 
them  to  retire,  while  he  led  Margery  within  the  cover  of 
the  bushes.  Formerly,  Peter  would  not  have  scrupled  to 
resort  to  deception,  in  order  to  throw  these  two  young  men 
on  a  wrong  scent,  and  get  rid  of  them  in  that  mode ;  but 
36 


422  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

now  he  had  a  reluctance  to  deceive ;  and,  no  sooner  did 
they  fall  back  at  his  beckoning,  than  he  followed  Margery 
to  the  camp.  The  latter  was  giving  her  husband  a  hurried 
account  of  what  had  just  happened,  as  Peter  joined  them. 

"  Our  camp  is  known !"  exclaimed  the  bee-hunter  the 
instant  he  beheld  the  Indian. 

"  Juss  so.  Pottawattamie  see  squaw,  and  go  and  tell 
his  chief.  Dat  sartain,"  answered  Peter. 

"What  is  there  to  be  done?  —  Fight  for  our  lives, 
or  fly?" 

"  Get  in  canoe  quick  as  can.  It  take  dem  young  men 
rralf  hour  to  reach  place  where  chief  be.  In  dat  half  hour 
we  muss  go  as  far  as  we  can.  No  good  to  stay  here. 
Injin  come,  in  about  one  hour." 

Le  Bourdon  knew  his  position  well  enough  to  under 
stand  this.  Nevertheless  there  were  several  serious  objec 
tions  to  an  immediate  flight.  Pigeonswing  was  absent, 
and  the  bee-hunter  did  not  like  the  notion  of  leaving  him 
behind,  for  various  reasons.  Then  it  was  not  yet  dark ; 
and  to  descend  the  river  by  daylight  appeared  like  ad 
vancing  into  the  jaws  of  the  lion,  designedly.  Nor  was 
le  Bourdon  at  his  ease  on  the  subject  of  Peter.  His  sudden 
appearance,  the  insufficient  and  far  from  clear  account  of 
Margery,  and  the  extraordinary  course  advised,  served  to 
renew  ancient  distrusts,  and  to  render  him  reluctant  to 
move.  But,  of  one  thing  there  could  be  no  doubt.  Their 
present  position  must  be  known,  for  Margery  had  seen  the 
two  strange  Indians  with  her  own  eyes,  and  a  search  might 
soon  be  expected.  Under  all  the  circumstances,  therefore, 
our  hero  reluctantly  complied  with  Margery's  reiterated 
solicitations,  and  they  all  got  into  the  canoes. 

"  I  do  not  half  like  this  movement,  Peter,"  said  le  Bour 
don,  as  he  shoved  his  own  light  craft  down  the  brook,  pre 
viously  to  entering  the  river.  "  I  hope  it  may  turn  out  to 
be  better  than  it  looks,  and  that  you  can  keep  us  out  of  the 
hands  of  our  enemies.  Remember,  it  is  broad  daylight, 
and  that  red  men  are  plenty  two  or  three  miles  below  us." 
"  Yes,  know  dat.  But,  muss  go.  Injin  too  plenty  here, 
soon  Yes,  muss  go.  Bourdon,  why  you  can't  ask  bee, 
now,  what  bess  t'ing  for  you  to  do,  eh?  Good  time,  now, 
ask  bee  to  tell  what  he  know." 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  423 

The  bee-hunter  made  no  reply,  but  his  pretty  wife  raised 
her  hand,  involuntarily,  as  if  to  implore  the  Indian  to  for 
bear.     Peter  was  a  little  bewildered ;  for,  as  yet,  he  did 
not  understand  that  a  belief  in  necromancy  was  not  exactly 
compatible  with  the  notions  of  the  Christian's  Providence. 
In   his  ignorance,  how  much  was  he  worse  off  than  the 
wisest   of  our  race?      Will    any  discreet   man   who   has 
ever  paid  close  attention  to  the  power  of  the  somnambule, 
deny  that  there  is  a  mystery  about  such  a  person  that  ex 
ceeds  all  our  means  of  explanation  ?     That  there  are  de 
grees  in  the  extent  of  this  power,  that  there  are  false,  as 
well   as  true  somnambules,  all  who  have  attended  to  the 
subject  must  allow;  but,  a  deriding  disbeliever  in  our  own 
person  once,  we  have  since  seen  that  which  no  laws,  known 
to  us,  can  explain,  and  which  we  are  certain  is  not  the 
subject  of  collusion,  as  we  must  have  been  a  party  to  the 
fraud  ourselves,  were  any  such  practised.     To  deny  the 
evidence  of  our  senses  is  an  act  of  greater  weakness  than 
to  believe  that  there  are  mysteries  connected  with  our  mo 
ral  and  physical  being,  that  human  sagacity  has  not  yet 
been  able  to  penetrate  ;  and  we  repudiate  the  want  of  man 
liness  that  shrinks  from  giving  its  testimony  when  once 
convinced,  through  an  apprehension  of  being  derided,  as 
weaker  than  those  who  withhold  their  belief.     We  know 
that  our  own  thoughts  have  been  explained  and  rendered, 
by  a  somnambule,  under  circumstances  that  will  not  admit 
of  any  information  by  means  known  to  us  by  other  princi 
ples ;  and  whatever  others  may  think  on  the  subject,  we  are 
perfectly  conscious  that  no  collusion  did  or   could  exist. 
Why,  then,  are  we  to  despise  the  poor  Indian  because  he 
still  fancied  le  Bourdon  could  hold  communication  with  his 
bees?     We  happen  to  be  better  informed,  and  there  may 
be  beings  who  are  aware  of  the  as  yet  hidden  laws  of  ani 
mal    magnetism — hidden    as    respects    ourselves,    though 
known  to  them — and  who  fully  comprehend  various  mis 
takes  and  misapprehensions  connected  with  our  impressions 
on  this  subject,  that  escape  our  means  of  detection.     It  is 
not  surprising,  therefore,  that  Peter,    in  his   emergency, 
turned  to  those  bees,  in  the  hope  that  they  might  prove  of 
assistance,  or  that  Margery  silently  rebuked  him  for  the 
weakness,  in  the  manner  mentioned. 


424  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

Although  it  was  still  light,  the  sun  was  near  setting 
when  the  canoes  glided  into  the  river.  Fortunately  for  the 
fugitives  the  banks  were  densely  wooded,  and  the  stream 
of  great  width,  a  little  lake  in  fact,  and  there  was  not  much 
danger  of  their  being  seen  until  they  got  near  the  mouth  ; 
nor  then,  even,  should  they  once  get  within  the  cover  of 
the  wild  rice,  and  of  the  rushes.  There  was  no  retreat, 
however;  and  after  paddling  some  distance,  in  order  to  get 
beyond  the  observation  of  any  scout  who  might  approach 
the  place  where  they  had  last  been  seen,  the  canoes  were 
brought  close  together,  and  suffered  to  float  before  a  smart 
breeze,  so  as  not  to  reach  the  mouth  of  the  stream  before 
the  night  closed  around  them.  Everything  appeared  so 
tranquil,  the  solitude  was  so  profound,  and  their  progress 
so  smooth  and  uninterrupted,  that  a  certain  amount  of  con 
fidence  revived  in  the  breasts  of  all,  and  even  the  bee-hunter 
had  hopes  of  eventual  escape. 

A  conversation  now  occurred,  in  which  Peter  was  ques 
tioned  concerning  the  manner  in  which  he  had  been  oc 
cupied  during  his  absence ;  an  absence  that  had  given  le 
Bourdon  so  much  concern.  Had  the  chief  been  perfectly 
explicit,  he  would  have  confessed  that  fully  one-half  of  his 
waking  thoughts  had  been  occupied  in  thinking  of  the 
death  of  the  Son  of  God,  of  the  missionary's  prayer  for  his 
enemies,  and  of  the  sublime  morality  connected  with  such 
a  religion.  It  is  true  Peter  did  not,  could  not,  indeed, 
enter  very  profoundly  into  the  consideration  of  these  sub 
jects;  nor  were  his  notions  either  very  clear,  or  orthodox; 
but  they  were  sincere,  and  the  feelings  to  which  they  gave 
birth  were  devout.  Peter  did  not  touch  on  these  circum 
stances,  however,  confining  his  explanations  to  the  purely 
material  part  of  his  proceedings.  He  had  remained  with 
Bear's  Meat,  Crowsfeather,  and  the  other  leading  chiefs, 
in  order  to  be  at  the  fountain-head  of  information,  and  to 
interpose  his  influence  should  the  pale-faces  unhappily  fall 
into  the  hands  of  those  who  were  so  industriously  looking 
for  them.  Nothing  had  occurred  to  call  his  authority  out, 
but  a  strange  uncertainty  seemed  to  reign  among  the  war 
riors,  concerning  the  manner  in  which  their  intended  vic 
tims  eluded  their  endeavours  to  overtake  them.  No  trail 
had  been  discovered,  soout  after  scout  coining  in  to  report 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  425 

a  total  want  of  success  in  their  investigations,  inland. 
This  turned  the  attention  of  the  Indians  still  more  keenly 
on  the  river's  mouth,  it  b'eing  certain  that  the  canoes  could 
not  have  passed  out  into  the  lake  previously  to  the  arrival 
of  the  two  or  three  first  parties  of  their  young  men,  who 
had  been  sent  so  early  to  watch  that  particular  outlet. 

Peter  informed  le  Bourdon  that  his  cache  had  been  dis 
covered,  opened,  and  rifled  of  its  stores.  This  was  a  se 
vere  loss  to  our  hero,  and  one  that  would  have  been  keenly 
felt  at  any  other  time;  but,  just  then,  he  had  interests  so 
much  more  important  to  protect,  that  he  thought  arid  said 
little  about  this  mishap.  The  circumstance  which  gave 
him  the  most  concern  was  this.  Peter  stated  that  Bear's 
Meat  had  directed  about  a  dozen  of  his  young  men  to 
keep  watch,  day  and  night,  in  canoes,  near  the  mouth  of 
the  river,  lying  in  wait  among  the  wild  rice,  like  so  many 
snakes  in  the  grass. 

The  party  was  so  much  interested  in  this  conversation 
that,  almost  insensibly  to  themselves,  they  had  dropped 
down  to  the  beginning  of  the  rushes  and  rice,  and  had  got 
rather  dangerously  near  to  the  critical  point  of  their  pas 
sage.  As  it  was  still  day-light,  Peter  now  proposed  pushing 
the  canoes  in  among  the  plants,  and  there  remaining  until 
it  might  be  safer  to  move.  This  was  done,  accordingly,  and 
in  a  minute  or  two  all  three  of  the  little  barks  were  con 
cealed  within  the  cover. 

The  question  now  was  whether  the  fugitives  had  been 
observed,  but  suffered  to  advance,  as  every  foot  they  de 
scended  the  stream  was  taking  them  nearer  to  their  foes. 
Peter  did  not  conceal  his  apprehension  on  this  point,  since 
he  deemed  it  improbable  that  any  reach  near  the  mouth  of 
the  Kalamazoo  was  without  its  look-outs,  at  a  moment  so 
interesting.  Such  was,  indeed,  the  fact,  as  was  afterwards 
ascertained ;  but  the  young  men  who  had  seen  Peter  and 
Margery,  had  given  the  alarm,  passing  the  word  where  the 
fugitives  were  to  be  found,  and  the  sentinels  along  this  por 
tion  of  the  stream  had  deserted  their  stations,  in  order  to 
be  in  at  the  capture.  By  such  delicate  and  unforeseen 
means  does  Providence  often  protect  those  who  are  the 
subjects  of  its  especial  care,  baffling  the  calculations  of 
art,  by  its  own  quiet  control  of  events. 
36* 


426  THE    OAK     OPENINGS. 

The  bee-hunter  had  a  feverish  desire  to  be  moving 
After  remaining  in  the  cover  about  half  an  hour,  he  pro 
posed  that  they  should  get  the  canoes  into  one  of  the  open 
passages,  of  which  there  were  many  among  the  plants,  and 
proceed.  Peter  had  more  of  the  patience  of  an  Indian, 
and  deemed  the  hour  too  early.  But  le  Bourdon  was  not 
yet  entirely  free  from  distrust  of  his  companion,  and  telling 
Gershom  to  follow,  he  began  paddling  down  one  of  the 
passages  mentioned.  This  decisive  step  compelled  the  rest 
to  follow,  or  to  separate  from  their  companions.  They 
chose  to  do  the  first. 

Had  le  Bourdon  possessed  more  self-command,  and  re 
mained  stationary  a  little  longer,  he  would,  in  all  proba 
bility,  have  escaped  altogether  from  a  very  serious  danger 
that  he  was  now  compelled  to  run.  Although  there  were 
many  of  the  open  places  among  the  plants,  they  did  not 
always  communicate  with  each  other,  and  it  became  neces 
sary  to  force  the  canoes  through  little  thickets,  in  order  to 
get  out  of  one  into  another,  keeping  the  general  direction 
of  descending  the  river.  It  was  while  effecting  the  first 
of  these  changes,  that  the  agitation  of  the  tops  of  the 
plants  caught  the  eye  of  a  look-out  on  the  shore.  By  sig 
nals,  understood  among  themselves,  this  man  communicated 
his  discovery  to  a  canoe  that  was  acting  as  one  of  the 
guard-boats,  thus  giving  a  general  alarm  along  the  whole 
line  of  sentinels,  as  well  as  to  the  chiefs  down  at  the  hut 
or  at  the  mouth  of  the  river.  The  fierce  delight  with 
which  this  news  was  received,  after  s»  long  a  delay,  became 
ungovernable,  and  presently  yells  and  cries  filled  the  air, 
proceeding  from  both  sides  of  the  stream,  as  well  as  from 
the  river  itself. 

There  was  not  a  white  person  in  those  canoes  who  did 
not  conceive  that  their  party  was  lost,  when  this  clamour 
was  heard.  With  Peter  it  was  different.  Instead  of  ad 
mitting  of  alarm,  he  turned  all  his  faculties  to  use.  While 
le  Bourdon  himself  was  nearly  in  despair,  Peter  was  list 
ening  with  his  nice  ears,  to  catch  the  points  on  the  river 
whence  the  yells  arose.  For  the  banks  he  cared  nothing. 
The  danger  was  from  the  canoes.  By  the  keenness  of  his 
faculties,  the  chief  ascertained  that  there  were  four  canoes 
out,  and  that  they  would  have  to  run  the  gauntlet  between 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  427 

them,  or  escape  would  be  hopeless.  By  the  sounds  he  also 
became  certain  that  these  four  canoes  were  in  the  rice,  two 
on  each  side  of  the  river,  and  there  they  would  probably 
remain,  in  expectation  that  the  fugitives  would  be  most 
likely  to  come  down  in  the  cover. 

The  decision  of  Peter  was  made  in  a  moment.  It  was 
now  quite  dark,  and  those  who  were  in  canoes  within  the 
rice  could  not  well  see  the  middle  of  the  stream,  even  by 
daylight.  He  determined,  therefore,  to  take  the  very  centre 
of  the  river,  giving  his  directions  to  that  effect,  with  preci 
sion  and  clearness.  The  females  he  ordered  to  lie  down, 
each  in  her  own  canoe,  while  their  husbands  alone  were  to 
remain  visible.  Peter  hoped  that,  in  the  darkness,  le  Bour 
don  and  Gershom  might  pass  for  Indians,  on  the  look-out, 
and  under  his  own  immediate  command. 

One  very  important  fact  was  ascertained  by  le  Bourdon, 
as  soon  as  these  arrangements  were  explained  and  com 
pleted.  The  wind  on  the  lake  was  blowing  from  the  south, 
and  of  course  was  favourable  to  those  who  desired  to  pro 
ceed  in  the  opposite  direction.  This  he  communicated  to 
Margery  in  a  low  tone,  endeavouring  to  encourage  her  by 
all  the  means  in  his  power.  In  return,  the  young  wife  mut 
tered  a  few  encouraging  words  to  her  husband.  Every 
measure  was  understood  between  the  parties.  In  the  event 
of  a  discovery,  the  canoes  were  to  bury  themselves  in  the 
rice,  taking  different  directions,  each  man  acting  for  him 
self.  A  place  of  rendezvous  was  appointed  outside,  at  a 
head-land  known  to  Gershom  and  le  Bourdon,  and  signals 
were  agreed  on,  by  which  the  latest  arrival  might  know 
that  all  was  safe,  there.  These  points  were  settled  as  the 
canoes  floated  slowly  down  the  stream. 

Peter  took  and  kept  the  lead.  The  night  was  star-lit  and 
clear,  but  there  was  no  moon.  On  the  water,  this  made 
but  little  difference,  objects  not  being  visible  at  any  mate 
rial  distance.  The  chief  governed  the  speed,  which  was 
moderate,  but  regular.  At  the  rate  he  was  now  going,  it 
would  require  about  an  hour  to  carry  the  canoes  into  the 
lake.  But  nearly  all  of  that  hour  must  pass  in  the  midst 
of  enemies ! 

Half  of  the  period  just  mentioned  elapsed,  positively  with 
out  an  alarm  of  any  sort.  By  this  time,  the  party  was 


428  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

abreast  of  the  spot  where  Gershom  and  le  Bourdon  had 
secreted  the  canoes  in  the  former  adventure  at  the  mouth 
of  the  river.  On  the  shores,  however,  a  very  different 
scene  now  offered.  Then  the  fire  burned  brightly  in  the 
hut,  and  the  savages  could  be  seen  by  its  light.  Now,  all 
was  not  only  dark,  but  still  as  death.  There  was  no  longer 
any  cry,  sound,  alarm,  or  foot-fall,  audible.  The  very  air 
seemed  charged  with  uncertainty,  and  its  offspring  appre 
hension. 

As  they  approached  nearer  and  nearer  to  what  was  con 
ceived  to  be  the  most  critical  point  in  the  passage,  the  ca 
noes  got  closer  together ;  so  close,  indeed,  that  le  Bourdon 
and  Gershom  might  communicate  in  very  guarded  tones. 
The  utmost  care  was  taken  to  avoid  making  any  noise ; 
since  a  light  and  careless  blow  from  a  paddle,  on  the  side 
of  a  canoe,  would  be  almost  certain,  now,  to  betray  them. 
Margery  and  Dorothy  could  no  longer  control  their  feel 
ings,  and  each  rose  in  her  seat,  raising  her  body  so  as  to 
bring  her  head  above  the  gunwale  of  the  canoe,  if  a  bark- 
canoe  can  be  said  to  have  a  gunwale,  at  all.  They  even 
whispered  to  each  other,  endeavouring  to  glean  encourage 
ment  by  sympathy.  At  this  instant,  occurred  the  crisis  in 
their  attempt  to  escape. 


CHAPTEE  XXIX. 

For  an  Indian  isle  she  shapes  her  way 
With  constant  mind  both  night  and  day: 
She  seems  to  hold  her  home  in  view ; 
And  sails  as  if  the  path  she  knew, 
So  calm  and  stately  in  her  motion 
Across  the  unfathomed,  trackless  ocean. 

WILSON. 

IT  has  been  said  that  Peter  was  in  advance.  When  his 
canoe  was  nearly  abreast  of  the  usual  landing  at  the  hut, 
he  saw  two  canoes  coming  out  from  among  the  rice,  and 
distant  from  him  not  more  than  a  hundred  yards.  At  a 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  429 

greater  distance,  indeed,  it  would  not  have  been  easy  to 
distinguish  such  an  object  on  the  water  at  all.  Instead  of 
attempting  to  avoid  these  two  canoes,  the  chief  instantly 
called  to  them,  drawing  the  attention  of  those  in  them  to 
himself,  speaking  so  loud  as  to  be  easily  overheard  by  those 
who  followed. 

"  My  young  men  are  too  late,"  he  said.  "  The  pale 
faces  have  been  seen  in  the  openings  above  by  our  war 
riors,  and  must  soon  be  here.  Let  us  land,  and  be  ready 
to  meet  them  at  the  wigwam." 

Peter's  voice  was  immediately  recognised.  The  confi 
dent,  quiet,  natural  manner  in  which  he  spoke  served  to 
mislead  those  in  the  canoes;  and  when  he  joined  them, 
and  entered  the  passage  among  the  rice  that  led  to  the 
landing,  preceding  the  others,  the  last  followed  him  as  re 
gularly  as  the  colt  follows  its  dam.  Le  Bourdon  heard  the 
conversation,  and  understood  the  movement,  though  he 
could  not  see  the  canoes.  Peter  continued  talking  aloud, 
as  he  went  up  the  passage,  receiving  answers  to  all  he  said 
from  his  new  companions,  his  voice  serving  to  let  the  fugi 
tives  know  precisely  where  they  were.  All  this  was  under 
stood  and  improved  by  the  last,  who  lost  no  time  in  turning 
the  adventure  to  account. 

The  first  impulse  of  le  Bourdon  had  been  to  turn  and  fly 
up  stream.  But,  ascertaining  that  these  dangerous  ene 
mies  were  so  fully  occupied  by  Peter  as  not  to  see  the 
canoes  behind,  he  merely  inclined  a  little  towards  the  other 
side  of  the  channel,  and  slackened  his  rate  of  movement, 
in  order  not  to  come  too  near.  The  instant  he  was  satis 
fied  that  all  three  of  the  canoes  in  advance  had  entered  the 
passage  mentioned,  and  were  moving  towards  the  landing, 
he  let  out,  and  glided  down  stream  like  an  arrow.  It 
required  but  half  a  minute  to  cross  the  opening  of  the  pas 
sage,  but  Peter's  conversation  kept  his  followers  looking 
ahead,  which  greatly  lessened  the  risk.  Le  Bourdon's 
heart  was  in  his  mouth  several  times,  while  thus  running 
the  gauntlet,  as  it  might  be ;  but  fortune  favoured  them  ; 
or,  as  Margery  more  piously  understood  the  circumstances, 
a  Divine  Providence  led  them  in  safety  past  the  danger. 

At  the  mouth  of  the  river  both  le  Bourdon  and  Gershom 
thought  it  highly  probable  that  they  should  fall  in  with 


430  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

more  look-outs,  and  each  prepared  his  arms  for  a  fight 
But  no  canoe  was  there,  and  the  fugitives  were  soon  in  the 
lake.  Michigan  is  a  large  body  of  water,  and  a  bark  canoe 
is  but  a  frail  craft  to  put  to  sea  in,  when  there  is  any  wind, 
or  commotion.  On  the  present  occasion,  there  was  a  good 
deal  of  both ;  so  much  as  greatly  to  terrify  the  females. 
Of  all  the  craft  known,  however,  one  of  these  egg-shells  is 
really  the  safest,  if  properly  managed,  among  breakers,  or 
amid  the  combing  of  seas.  We  have  ourselves  ridden  in 
them  safely  through  a  surf  that  would  have  swamped  the 
best  man-of-war  cutter  that  ever  floated;  and  done  it,  too, 
without  taking  on  board  as  much  water  as  would  serve  to 
wash  one's  hands.  The  light  vessel  floats  on  so  little 
of  the  element,  indeed,  that  the  foam  of  a  large  sea  has 
scarce  a  chance  of  getting  above  it,  or  aboard  it,  the  great 
point  in  the  handling  being  to  prevent  the  canoe  from  fall 
ing  broad-side  to.  By  keeping  it  end-on  to  the  sea,  in  om 
opinion,  a  smart  gale  might  be  weathered  in  one  of  thesb 
craft,  provided  the  endurance  of  a  man  could  bear  up 
against  the  unceasing  watchfulness,  and  incessant  labour 
of  sweeping  with  the  paddle,  in  order  to  prevent  broach 
ing  to. 

Le  Bourdon,  it  has  been  said,  was  very  skilful  in  the 
management  of  his  craft;  and  Gershom,  now  perforce  a 
sober  and  useful  man,  was  not  much  behind  him  in  this 
particular.  The  former  had  foreseen  this  very  difficulty, 
and  made  all  his  arrangements  to  counteract  it.  No 
sooner,  therefore,  did  he  find  the  canoes  in  rough  water 
than  he  brought  them  together,  side  by  side,  and  lashed 
them  there.  This  greatly  lessened  the  danger  of  capsiz 
ing,  though  it  increased  the  labour  of  managing  the  craft 
when  disposed  to  turn  broadside  to.  It  only  remained  to 
get  sail  on  the  catamaran,  for  some  such  thing  was  it  now, 
in  order  to  keep  ahead  of  the  sea,  as  much  as  possible. 
Light  cotton  lugs  were  soon  spread,  one  in  each  canoe, 
and  away  they  went,  as  sailors  term  it,  wing  and  wing. 

It  was  now  much  easier  steering,  though  untiring  vigilance 
was  still  necessary.  A  boat  may  appear  to  fly,  and  yet  the 
"  send  of  the  sea"  shall  glance  ahead  of  it  with  the  velocity 
of  a  bird.  Nothing  that  goes  through,  or  on,  the  water, 
and  the  last  is  the  phrase  best  suited  to  the  floating  of  a 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  431 

bark  /anoe,  can  ever  be  made  to  keep  company  with  that 
feathery  foam,  which  under  the  several  names  of  "  white- 
caps" — an  in-shore  and  lubber's  term — "  combs, ';  "break 
ing  of  the  seas,"  the  "  wash,"  &c.,  &c.,  &LC.,  glances 
by  a  vessel  in  a  blow,  or  comes  on  board  her  even  when 
she  is  running  before  it.  We  have  often  watched  these 
clouds  of  water,  as  they  have  shot  ahead  of  us,  when 
ploughing  our  own  ten  or  eleven  knot  through  the  brine, 
and  they  have  ever  appeared  to  us  as  so  many  useful  ad- 
monishers  of  what  the  power  of  God  is,  as  compared  to  the 
power  of  man.  The  last  shall  construct  his  ship,  fit  her 
with  all  the  appliances  of  his  utmost  art,  sail  her  with  the 
seaman's  skill,  and  force  her  through  her  element  with 
something  like  rail-road  speed ;  yet,  will  the  seas  "  send" 
their  feathery  crests  past  her,  like  so  many  dolphins,  or 
porpoises,  sporting  under  her  fore-foot.  It  is  this  following 
sea,  which  becomes  so  very  dangerous  in  heavy  gales,  and 
which  compels  the  largest  ships  frequently  to  heave-to,  in 
order  that  they  may  present  their  bows  to  its  almost  re 
sistless  power. 

But  our  adventurers  had  no  such  gales  as  those  we  mean, 
or  any  such  seas  to  withstand.  The  wind  blew  fresh  from 
the  south,  and  Michigan  can  get  up  a  very  respectable 
swell  at  need.  Like  the  seas  in  all  the  Great  Lakes,  it  was 
short,  and  all  the  worse  for  that.  The  larger  the  expanse 
of  water  over  which  the  wind  passes,  the  longer  is  the  sea, 
and  the  easier  is  it  for  the  ship  to  ride  on  it.  Those  of  Lake 
Michigan,  however,  were  quite  long  enough  for  a  bark 
canoe,  and  glad  enough  were  both  Margery  and  Dorothy 
when  they  found  their  two  little  vessels  lashed  together, 
and  wearing  an  air  of  more  stability  than  was  common  to 
them.  Le  Bourdon's  sail  was  first  spread,  and  it  produced 
an  immediate  relief  from  the  washing  of  the  waves.  The 
drift  of  a  bark  canoe,  in  a  smart  blow,  is  considerable,  it 
having  no  hold  on  the  water  to  resist  it;  but  our  adven 
turers  fairly  flew  as  soon  as  the  cotton  cloth  was  opened. 
The  wind  being  exactly  south,  by  steering  due  north,  or 
dead  before  it,  it  was  found  possible  to  carry  the  sail  in 
the  other  canoe,  borne  out  on  the  opposite  side;  and  from 
the  moment  that  was  opened,  all  the  difficulty  was  reduced 
to  steering  so  "  small,"  as  seamen  term  it,  as  to  prevent 


432  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

one  or  the  other  of  the  luggs  from  jibing.  Had  this  oc 
curred,  however,  no  very  serious  consequences  would  have 
followed,  the  precaution  taken  of  lashing  the  craft  together, 
rendering  capsizing  next  to  impossible. 

The  Kalamazoo  and  its  mouth  were  soon  far  behind,  and 
le  Bourdon  no  longer  felt  the  least  apprehension  of  the 
savages  left  in  it.  The  Indians  are  not  bold  navigators, 
and  he  felt  certain  that  the  lake  was  too  rough  for  the 
savages  to  venture  out,  while  his  own  course  gradually 
carried  him  off  the  land,  and  out  of  the  track  of  anything 
that  kept  near  the  shore.  A  short  time  produced  a  sense 
of  security,  and  the  wind  appearing  to  fall,  instead  of  in 
creasing  in  violence,  it  was  soon  arranged  that  one  of  the 
men  should  sleep,  while  the  other  looked  to  the  safety  of 
the  canoes. 

It  was  about  nine  o'clock  when  the  fugitives  made  sail, 
off  the  mouth  of  the  Kalamazoo ;  and,  at  the  return  of  light, 
seven  hours  later,  they  were  more  than  forty  miles  from 
the  place  of  starting.  The  wind  still  stood,  with  symptoms 
of  growing  fresher  again  as  the  sun  rose,  and  the  land  could 
just  be  seen  in  the  eastern  board,  the  coast  in  that  direction 
having  made  a  considerable  curvature  inland.  This  had 
brought  the  canoes  farther  from  the  land  than  le  Bourdon 
wished  to  be,  bat  he  could  not  materially  change  his  course 
without  taking  in  one  of  his  sails.  As  much  variation 
was  made,  however,  as  was  prudent,  and  by  nine  o'clock, 
or  twelve  hours  after  entering  the  lake,  the  canoes  again 
drew  near  to  the  shore,  which  met  them  ahead.  By  the 
bee-hunter's  calculations,  they  were  now  about  seventy 
miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  Kalamazoo,  having  passed  the 
outlets  of  two  or  three  of  the  largest  streams  of  those 
regions. 

The  fugitives  selected  a  favourable  spot,  and  landed 
behind  a  head-land  that  gave  them  a  sufficient  lee  for  the 
canoes.  They  had  now  reached  a  point  where  the  coast 
trends  a  little  to  the  eastward,  which  brought  the  wind  in 
a  slight  degree  off  the  land.  This  change  produced  no 
very  great  effect  on  the  seas,  but  it  enabled  the  canoes  to 
keep  close  to  the  shore,  making  something  of  a  lee  for 
them.  This  they  did  about  noon,  after  having  lighted  a 
fire,  caught  some  fish  in  a  small  stream,  killed  a  deer  and 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

dressed  it,  and  cooked  enough  provisions  to  last  for  two  or 
three  days.  The  canoes  were  now  separated  again ;  it  being 
easier  to  manage  them  in  that  state  than  when  lashed  to 
gether,  besides  enabling  them  to  carry  both  sails.  The 
farther  north  they  got  the  more  of  a  lee  was  found,  though 
it  was  in  no  place  sufficient  to  bring  smooth  water. 

In  this  manner  several  more  hours  were  passed,  and  six 
times  as  many  more  miles  were  made  in  distance.  When 
le  Bourdon  again  landed,  which  he  did  shortly  before  the 
eun  set,  he  calculated  his  distance  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Kalamazoo  to  be  rather  more  than  a  hundred  miles.  His 
principal  object  was  to  ascend  a  bluff  and  to  take  a  look 
at  the  coast,  in  order  to  examine  it  for  canoes.  This  his 
glass  enabled  him  to  do  with  some  accuracy,  and  when  he 
rejoined  the  party,  he  was  rejoiced  to  have  it  in  his  power 
to  report  that  the  coast  was  clear.  After  refreshing  them 
selves,  the  canoes  were  again  brought  together,  in  order 
to  divide  the  watches,  and  a  new  start  was  made  for  the 
night.  In  this  manner  did  our  adventurers  make  their 
way  to  the  northward  for  two  nights  and  days,  landing 
often,  to  fish,  hunt,  rest,  and  cook,  as  well  as  to  examine 
the  coast.  At  the  end  of  the  time  mentioned,  the  cele 
brated  straits  of  the  Michillimackinac,  or  Mackinaw,  as 
they  are  almost  universally  termed,  came  in  sight.  The 
course  had  been  gradually  changing  towards  the  eastward, 
and  luckily  for  the  progress  of  the  fugitives  the  wind  with 
it,  leaving  them  always  a  favourable  breeze.  But  it  was 
felt  to  be  no  longer  safe  to  use  a  sail,  and  recourse  was 
had  to  the  paddles,  until  the  straits  and  island  were  passed. 
This  caused  some  delay,  and  added  a  good  deal  to  the 
labour;  but  it  was  deemed  so  dangerous  to  display  their 
white  cotton  sails,  objects  that  might  be  seen  for  a  consid 
erable  distance,  that  it  was  thought  preferable  to  adopt  this 
caution.  Nor  was  it  useless.  In  consequence  of  this  fore 
sight  a  fleet  of  canoes  was  passed  in  safety,  which  were 
crossing  from  the  post  at  Mackinaw  towards  the  main  land 
of  Michigan.  The  number  of  the  canoes  in  this  fleet 
could  not  have  been  less  than  fifty,  but  getting  a  timely 
view  of  them,  le  Bourdon  hid  his  own  craft  in  a  cove,  and 
remained  there  until  the  danger  was  over. 

The  course  now  changed  still  more,  while  the  wind  got 
37 


434  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

quite  round  to  the  westward.  This  made  a  fair  wind  a< 
first,  and  gave  the  canoes  a  good  lee  as  they  advanced, 
Lake  Huron,  which  was  the  water  the  fugitives  were  now 
on,  lies  nearly  parallel  to  Michigan,  and  the  course  was 
south,  easterly.  As  le  Bourdon  had  often  passed  both  ways 
on  these  waters,  he  had  his  favourite  harbours,  and  knew 
those  signs  which  teach  navigators  how  to  make  their 
prognostics  of  the  weather.  On  the  whole,  the  fugitives 
did  very  well,  though  they  lost  two  days  between  Macki 
naw  and  Saginaw  Bay  ;  one  on  account  of  the  strength  of 
the  wind,  and  one  on  account  of  rain.  During  the  last, 
they  remained  in  a  hut  that  le  Bourdon  had  himself  con 
structed  in  one  of  his  many  voyages,  and  which  he  had  left 
standing.  These  empty  cabins,  or  chientts,  are  of  fre 
quent  occurrence  in  new  countries,  being  used,  like  the 
Refuges  in  the  Alps,  by  every  traveller  as  he  has  need  of 
them. 

The  sight  of  the  fleet  of  canoes,  in  the  straits  of  Michil- 
limackinac,  caused  the  fugitives  the  only  real  trouble  they 
had  felt,  between  the  time  when  they  left  the  mouth  of  the 
Kalamazoo,  and  the  ten  days  that  succeeded.  By  the  end 
of  that  period  the  party  had  crossed  Saginaw,  and  was  fast 
coming  up  with  Pointe  au  Barques,  a  land-mark  for  all 
who  navigate  the  waters  of  Huron,  when  a  canoe  was  seen 
coming  out  from  under  the  land,  steering  as  if  to  intercept 
them.  This  sight  gave  both  concern  and  pleasure ;  con 
cern,  as  it  might  lead  to  a  hostile  encounter,  and  pleasure, 
because  the  bee-hunter  hoped  for  information  that  might 
be  useful  in  governing  his  future  course.  Here  his  glass 
came  in  play,  with  good  effect.  By  means  of  that  instru 
ment,  it  was  soon  ascertained  that  the  strange  canoe  con 
tained  but  two  men,  both  Indians,  and  as  that  was  just 
their  own  force,  no  great  danger  was  apprehended  from 
the  meeting.  The  craft,  therefore,  continued  to  approach 
each  other,  le  Bourdon  keeping  his  glass  levelled  on  the 
strangers,  much  of  the  time. 

"  As  I  live,  yonder  are  Peter  and  Pigeonswing,"  suddenly 
exclaimed  our  hero.  "  They  have  crossed  the  Peninsula, 
and  have  come  out  from  the  point,  in  that  canoe,  to  meet 
us." 

*'  With  important  news,  then,  depend  on  it,  Benjamin," 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  435 

answered  the  wife.     "  Tell  this  to  brother,  that  he  and 
Dolly  may  not  feel  more  alarm  than  is  necessary." 

The  bee-hunter  called  out  to  his  friends  in  the  other 
canoe,  and  communicated  the  discovery  just  made.  The 
two  craft  keeping  always  within  hailing  distance  of  each 
other. 

"  Them  Injins  are  not  here  for  nothing,"  answered 
Dorothy.  u  You  will  find  they  have  something  serious  to 
say." 

"  We  shall  soon  know,"  called  out  le  Bourdon.  "  Ten 
minutes  will  bring  us  alongside  of  them." 

The  ten  minutes  did  that  much,  and  before  the  expira 
tion  of  the  short  space,  the  three  canoes  were  fastened  to 
gether,  that  of  Peter  being  in  the  centre.  The  bee-huriter 
saw,  at  a  glance,  that  the  expedition  of  the  Indians  had 
been  hurried;  for  their  canoe,  besides  being  of  very  indif 
ferent  qualities,  was  not  provided  with  the  implements  and 
conveniences  usual  to  a  voyage  of  any  length.  Still,  he 
would  not  ask  a  question,  but  lighting  his  pipe,  after  a 
few  puffs,  he  passed  it  courteously  over  to  Peter.  The 
great  chief  smoked  awhile,  and  gave  it  to  Pigeonswing,  in 
his  turn,  who  appeared  to  enjoy  it  quite  as  much  as  any 
of  the  party. 

"  My  father  does  not  believe  he  is  a  Jew?"  said  le  Bour 
don,  smiling;  willing  to  commence  a  discourse,  though 
still  determined  not  to  betray  a  womanish  curiosity. 

"  We  are  poor  Injins,  Bourdon  ;  juss  as  the  Great  Spirit 
made  us.  Dat  bess.  Can't  help  what  Manitou  do.  If 
he  don't  make  us  Jew,  can't  be  Jew.  If  he  make  uslnjin, 
muss  be  Injin.  For  my  part,  b'lieve  I'm  Injin,  and  don't 
want  to  be  pale-face.  Can  love  pale-face,  now,  juss  as  well 
as  love  Injin." 

"  Oh,  I  hope  this  is  true,  Peter,"  exclaimed  Margery 
her  handsome  face  flushing  with  delight,  at  hearing  these 
words.  "  So  long  as  your  heart  tells  you  this,  be  certain 
that  the  spirit  of  God  is  in  you." 

Peter  made  no  answer,  but  he  looked  profoundly  im 
pressed  with  the  novel  feeling  that  had  taken  possession  of 
his  soul.  As  for  the  bee-hunter,  he  did  not  meddle  with 
Margery's  convictions  or  emotions  on  such  subjects,  re 
sembling  in  this  particular  most  men,  who,  however  in- 


436 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 


different  to  religion  in  their  own  persons,  are  never  sorry 
to  find  that  their  wives  profoundly  submit  to  its  influence. 
After  a  short  pause,  a  species  of  homage  involuntarily 
paid  to  the  subject,  he  thought  he  might  now  inquire  into 
the  circumstances  that  brought  the  Indians  on  their  route, 
without  incurring  the  imputation  of  a  weak  and  impatient 
curiosity.  In  reply,  Peter's  story  was  soon  told.  He  had 
rejoined  the  chiefs  without  exciting  distrust,  and  all  had 
waited  for  the  young  men  to  come  in  with  the  captives. 
As  soon  as  it  was  ascertained  that  the  intended  victims  had 
escaped  and  by  water,  parties  proceeded  to  different  points, 
in  order  to  intercept  them.  Some  followed  in  canoes,  but 
being  less  bold  in  their  navigation  than  the  bee-hunter, 
they  did  not  make  the  straits  until  some  time  after  the  fugi 
tives  had  passed.  Peter,  himself,  had  joined  Bear's  Meat, 
and  some  twenty  warriors  who  had  crossed  the  Peninsula, 
procured  canoes  at  the  head  of  Saginaw  Bay,  and  had 
come  out  at  Pointe  au  Barques,  the  very  spot  our  party 
was  now  approaching,  three  days  before  its  arrival. 

Tired  with  waiting,  and  uncertain  whether  his  enemies 
had  not  got  the  start  of  him,  Bear's  Meat  had  gone  into 
the  river  below,  intending  to  keep  his  watch  there,  leaving 
Peter  at  the  Pointe,  with  three  young  men,  and  one  canoe, 
to  have  a  look  out.  These  young  men  the  great  chief  had 
found  an  excuse  for  sending  to  the  head  of  the  Bay,  in 
quest  of  another  canoe,  which  left  him,  of  course,  quite 
alone  on  the  Pointe.  Scarce  had  the  young  men  got  out  of 
sight,  ere  Pigeonswing  joined  his  confederate,  for  it  seems 
that  this  faithful  friend  had  kept  on  the  skirts  of  the  enemy 
the  whole  time,  travelling  hundreds  of  miles,  and  enduring 
hunger  and  fatigue,  besides  risking  his  life  at  nearly  every 
step,  in  order  to  be  of  use  to  those  whom  he  considered 
himself  pledged  to  serve. 

Of  course,  Peter  and  Pigeonswing  understood  each 
other.  One  hour  after  they  joined  company,  the  canoes  of 
the  fugitives  came  in  sight,  and  were  immediately  recog 
nised  by  their  sails.  They  were  met,  as  has  been  mention 
ed,  and  the  expjanations  that  we  have  given  were  made  be- 
fore  the  party  landed  at  the  Pointe. 

It  was  something  to  know  where  the  risk  was  to  be  ap- 
prehended ;  but  le  Bourdon  foresaw  great  danger.  He  had 


-  THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  437 

brought  his  canoes,  already,  quite  five  hundred  miles,  along 
a  hazardous  coast,  though  a  little  craft,  like  one  of  those 
he  navigated  ran  less  risk,  perhaps,  than  a  larger  vessel, 
since  a  shelter  might,  at  any  time,  be  found  within  a  rea 
sonable  distance  for  it.  From  Pointe  au  Barque  to  the 
outlet  of  the  lake  was  less  than  a  hundred  miles  more. 
This  outlet  was  a  river,  as  it  is  called,  a  strait,  in  fact, 
which  communicates  with  the  small  shallow  lake  of  St. 
Clair,  by  a  passage  of  somo  thirty  miles  in  length.  Then 
the  lake  St.  Clair  was  to  l>e  crossed,  about  an  equal  dis 
tance,  when  the  canoes  would  come  out  in  what  is  called 
the  Detroit  river,  a  strait  again,  as  its  name  indicates. 
Some  six  or  eight  miles  down  this  passage,  and  on  its 
western  side,  stands  the  city  of  Detroit,  then  a  village  of 
no  great  extent,  with  a  fort  better  situated  to  repel  an  at 
tack  of  the  savages,  than  to  withstand  a  siege  of  white 
men.  This  place  was  now  in  the  possession  of  the  British, 
and,  according  to  le  Bourdon's  notions,  it  was  scarcely  less 
dangerous  to  him,  than  the  hostility  of  Bear's  Meat  and 
his  companions. 

Delay,  however,  was  quite  as  dangerous  as  anything 
else.  After  cooking  and  eating,  therefore,  the  canoes  con 
tinued  their  course,  Peter  and  Pigeonswing  accompanying 
them,  though  they  abandoned  their  own  craft.  Peter  went 
with  the  bee-hunter  and  Margery,  while  the  Chippewa  took 
a  seat  and  a  paddle  in  the  canoe  of  Gershom.  This  change 
was  made,  in  order  to  put  a  double  power  in  each  canoe, 
since  it  was  possible  that  downright  speed  might  become 
the  only  means  of  safety. 

The  wind  still  stood  at  the  westward,  and  the  rate  of 
sailing  was  rapid.  About  the  close  of  the  day  the  party 
drew  near  to  the  outlet,  when  Peter  directed  the  sails  to  be 
taken  in.  This  was  done  to  prevent  their  being  seen,  a 
precaution  that  was  now  aided  by  keeping  as  near  to  the 
shore  as  possible,  where  objects  so  small  and  low  would  be 
very  apt  to  be  confounded  with  others  on  the  land. 

It  was  quite  dark  when  the  canoes  entered  the  St.  Clair 
river.  Favoured  by  the  current  and  the  wind  their  pro 
gress  was  rapid,  and  ere  the  day  returned,  changing  his 
direction  from  the  course  ordinarily  taken,  Peter  entered 
the  lake  by  a  circuitous  passage ;  one  of  the  many  that  lead 
37* 


438  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

from  the  river  to  the  hike,  among  aquatic  plants  that  form 
a  perfect  shelter.  This  detour  saved  the  fugitives  from 
falling  into  the  hands  of  one  party  of  their  enemies,  as  was 
afterwards  ascertained  by  tire  Indians.  Bear's  Meat  had 
left  two  canoes,  each  manned  by  five  warriors,  to  watch 
the  principal  passages  into  Lake  St.  Clair,  not  anticipating 
that  any  particular  caution  would  be  used  by  the  bee-hunter 
and  his  friends,  at  this  great  distance  from  the  place  where 
they  had  escaped  from  their  foes.  But  the  arrival  of  Peter, 
his  sagacity,  and  knowledge  of  Indian  habits,  prevented  the 
result  that  was  expected.  The  canoes  got  into  the  lake 
unseen,  and  crossed  it  a  little  diagonally,  so  as  to  reach  the 
Canada  shore  in  the  middle  of  the  afternoon  of  the  suc 
ceeding  day,  using  their  sails  only  when  far  from  the  land, 
and  not  exposed  to  watchful  eyes. 

The  bee-hunter  and  his  friends  landed  that  afternoon  at 
the  cabin  of  a  Canadian  Frenchman,  on  the  shore  of  the 
lake,  and  at  a  safe  distance  from  the  outlet  which  led  still 
further  south.  Here  the  females  were  hospitably  received, 
and  treated  with  that  kindness  which  marks  the  character 
of  the  Canadian  French.  It  mattered  little  to  these  simple 
people,  whether  the  travellers  were  of  the  hostile  nation  or 
not.  It  is  true,  they  did  not  like  the  "  Yankees,"  as  all 
Americans  are  termed  by  them,  but  they  were  not  particu 
larly  in  love  with  their  English  masters.  It  was  well 
enough  to  be  re-possessed  of  both  banks  of  the  Detroit,  for 
both  banks  were  then  peopled  principally  by  their  own  race, 
the  descendants  of  Frenchmen  of  the  time  of  Louis  XIV., 
and  who  still  preserved  much  of  the  language,  and  many 
of  the  usages,  of  the  French  of  that  period.  They  spoke 
then,  as  now,  only  the  language  of  their  fathers. 

The  bee-hunter  left  the  cottage  of  these  simple  and  hos 
pitable  people,  as  soon  as  the  night  was  fairly  set  in  ;  or, 
rather,  as  soon  as  a  young  moon  had  gone  down.  Peter 
now  took  the  command,  steering  the  canoe  of  le  Bour 
don,  while  Gershom  followed  so  close  as  to  keep  the  bow 
of  his  little  craft  within  reach  of  the  Indian's  arm.  In  less 
than  an  hour  the  fugitives  reached  the  opening  of  the  river, 
which  is  here  divided  into  two  channels  by  a  large  island. 
On  that  very  island,  and  at  that  precise  moment,  was  Bear's 
Meat  lying  in  wait  for  their  appearance,  provided  with 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  439 

three  canoes,  each  having  a  crew  of  six  men.  It  would 
have  been  easy  for  this  chief  to  go  to  Detroit,  and 
give  the  alarm  to  the  savages  who  were  then  collected 
there  in  a  large  force,  and  to  have  made  such  a  disposition 
of  the  canoes  as  would  have  rendered  escape  by  water  im 
possible  ;  but  this  would  have  been  robbing  himself  and 
his  friends  of  all  the  credit  of  taking  the  scalps,  and  throw 
ing  away  what  is  termed  "  honoiw,"  among  others  as  well 
as  among  savages.  He  chose,  therefore,  to  trust  to  his  own 
ability  to  succeed;  and  supposing  the  fugitives  would  not 
be  particularly  on  their  guard  at  this  point,  had  little  doubt 
of  intercepting  them  here,  should  they  succeed  in  eluding 
those  he  had  left  above. 

The  bee-hunter  distrusted  that  island,  and  used  extra 
caution  in  passing  it.  In  the  first  place,  the  two  canoe* 
were  brought  together,  so  as  to  give  them,  in  the  dark,  the 
appearance  of  only  one ;  while  the  four  men  added  so  much 
to  the  crew  as  to  aid  the  deception.  In  the  end  it  proved 
that  one  of  Bear's  Meat's  canoes,  that  was  paddling  about 
in  the  middle  of  the  river,  had  actually  seen  them,  but 
mistook  the  party  for  a  canoe  of  their  own,  which  ought 
to  have  been  near  that  spot,  with  precisely  six  persons  in 
it,  just  at  that  time.  These  six  warriors  had  landed,  and 
gone  up  among  the  cottages  of  the  French  to  obtain  some 
fruit,  of  which  they  were  very  fond,  and  of  which  they  got 
but  little  in  their  own  villages.  Owing  to  this  lucky  coin 
cidence,  which  the  pretty  Margery  ever  regarded  as  another 
special  interposition  of  Providence  in  their  favour,  the  fugi 
tives  passed  the  island  without  molestation,  and  actually  got 
below  the  last  look-outs  of  Bear's  Meat,  though  without 
their  knowledge. 

It  was  by  no  means  a  difficult  thing  to  go  down  the 
river,  now  that  so  many  canoes  were  in  motion  on  it,  at 
all  hours.  The  bee-hunter  knew  what  points  were  to  be 
avoided,  and  took  good  care  not  to  approach  a  sentinel. 
The  river,  or  strait,  is  less  than  a  mile  wide,  and 
by  keeping  in  the  centre  of  the  passage,  the  canoes, 
favoured  by  both  wind  and  current,  drove  by  the  town, 
then  an  inconsiderable  village,  without  detection.  As 
soon  as  far  enough  below,  the  canoes  were  again  cast  loose 
from  each  other,  and  sail  was  made  on  each.  The  water 


440  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

was  smooth,  and  some  time  before  the  return  of  light  the 
fugitives  were  abreast  of  Maiden,  but  in  the  American 
channel.  Had  it  been  otherwise,  the  danger  could  not 
have  been  great.  So  completely  were  the  Americans  sub 
dued  by  Hull's  capitulation,  and  so  numerous  were  the 
Indian  allies  of  the  British,  that  the  passage  of  a  bark 
canoe,  more  or  less,  would  hardly  have  attracted  attention. 
At  that  time,  Michigan  was  a  province  of  but  little  more 
than  a  name.  The  territory  was  wide  to  be  sure,  but  the 
entire  population  was  not  larger  than  that  of  a  moderately- 
sized  English  market  town,  and  Detroit  was  then  regarded 
as  a  distant  and  isolated  post.  It  is  true  that  Mackinac 
and  Chicago  were  both  more  remote,  and  both  more  iso 
lated,  but  an  English  force,  in  possession  of  Detroit,  could 
be  approached  by  the  Americans  on  the  side  of  the  land 
only  by  overcoming  the  obstacles  of  a  broad  belt  of  difficult 
wilderness.  This  was  done  the  succeeding  year,  it  is  true, 
but  time  is  always  necessary  to  bring  out  Jonathan's  latent 
military  energies.  When  aroused,  they  are  not  trifling, 
as  all  his  enemies  have  been  made  to  feel ;  but  a  good  deal 
of  miscalculation,  pretending  ignorance,  and  useless  talking 
must  be  expended,  before  the  really  efficient  are  allowed 
to  set  about  serving  the  country  in  their  own  way. 

In  this  respect,  thanks  to  West  Point,  a  well-organized 
staff,  and  well-educated  officers,  matters  are  a  little  im 
proving.  Congress  has  not  been  able  to  destroy  the  army, 
in  the  present  war,  though  it  did  its  best  to  attain  that  end  ; 
and  all  because  the  nucleus  was  too  powerful  to  be  totally 
eclipsed  by  the  gas  of  the  usual  legislative  tail  of  the  Great 
National  Comet,  of  which  neither  the  materials  nor  the 
orbit  can  any  man  say  he  knows.  One  day,  it  declares 
war  with  a  hurrah ;  the  next,  it  denies  the  legislation  ne 
cessary  to  carry  it  on,  as  if  it  distrusted  its  own  acts,  and 
already  repented  of  its  patriotism.  And  this  is  the  body, 
soulless,  the  very  school  of  faction,  as  a  whole  of  very  ques 
tionable  quality  in  the  outset,  that,  according  to  certain 
expounders  of  the  constitution,  is  to  perform  all  the  func 
tions  of  a  government ;  which  is  not  only  to  pass  laws,  but 
is  to  interpret  them ;  which  is  to  command  the  army,  ay, 
ev*n  to  wheeling  its  platoons;  which  reads  the  constitution 
is  an  abbe  mumbles  his  aves  and  paters,  or  looking  at 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  441 

every  thing  but  his  texts  ;  and  which  is  never  to  have  its 
acts  vetoed,  unless  in  eases  where  the  Supreme  Court 
would  spare  the  Executive  that  trouble  !  We  never  jet 
could  see  either  the  elements  or  the  fruits  of  this  great 
sanctity  in  the  National  Council.  In  our  eyes  it  is  scarcely 
ever  in  its  proper  place  on  the  railway  of  the  Union,  has 
Regenerated  into  a  mere  election  Curing  machine,  perform 
ing  the  little  it  really  does,  convulsively,  by  sudden  im 
pulses,  equally  without  deliberation  or  a  sense  of  responsi 
bility.  In  a  word,  we  deem  it  the  power  of  all  others  in 
the  state  that  needs  the  closest  watching,  and  were  we 
what  is  termed  in  this  country  "  politicians,"  we  should 
go  for  the  executive  who  is  the  most  ready  to  apply  the 
curb  to  these  vagaries  of  factions  and  interested  partisans. 
Vetoes  !  Would  to  Heaven  we  could  see  the  days  of 
Good  Queen  Bess  revived  for  one  session  of  Congress  at 
least,  and  find  that  more  laws  were  sent  back  for  the  second 
thoughts  of  their  framers  than  were  approved  !  Then,  in 
deed,  might  the  country  be  brought  back  to  a  knowledge 
of  the  very  material  constitutional  facts  that  the  legislature 
is  not  commander-in-chief,  does  not  negotiate  or  make 
treaties,  and  has  no  right  to  do,  that  which  it  has  done  so 
often,  appoint  to  office  by  act  of  Congress  ! 

As  a  consequence  of  the  little  apprehension  entertained 
by  the  English  of  being  soon  disturbed  in  their  new  con 
quests,  le  Bourdon  and  his  friends  got  out  of  the  Detroit 
river,  and  into  Lake  Erie,  without  discovery  or  molesta 
tion.  There  still  remained  a  long  journey  before  them. 
In  that  day  the  American  side  of  the  shores  of  all  the 
Great  Lakes  wras  little  more  than  a  wilderness.  There 
were  exceptions,  at  particular  points,  but  these  were  few 
and  far  asunder.  The  whole  coast  of  Ohio,  for  Ohio  has 
its  coast  as  well  as  Bohemia,*  was  mostly  in  a  state  of  na 
ture,  as  was  much  of  those  of  Pennsylvania  and  New  York, 
on  the  side  of  the  fresh  water.  The  port  which  the  bee- 
hunter  had  in  view  was  Presque  Isle,  now  known  as  Erie,  a 
harbour  in  Pennsylvania  that  has  since  become  somewhat 
celebrated  in  consequence  of  its  being  the  port  out  of  which 
the  American  vessels  sailed  about  a  year  later  than  the  po- 

*  See  Shakspeare— "  Waiter's  Tale." 


44*2  THE    OAK    OPENINGS. 

riod  of  which  we  are  writing,  to  fight  the  battle  that  gava 
them  the  mastery  of  the  lake.  This  was  a  little  voyage  ot 
itself,  of  near  two  hundred  miles,  following  the  islands  and 
the  coast,  but  it  was  safely  made  in  the  course  of  the  suc 
ceeding  week.  Once  in  Lake  Erie,  and  on  the  American 
side,  our  adventurers  felt  reasonably  safe  against  all  dangers 
but  those  of  the  elements.  It  is  true  that  a  renowned 
annalist,  whose  information  is  sustained  by  the  collected 
wisdom  of  a  State  Historical  Society,  does  tell  us  that  the 
enemy  possessed  both  shores  of  Lake  Erie  in  1814;  but 
this  was  so  small  a  mistake,  compared  with  some  others 
that  this  Nestor  in  history  had  made,  that  we  shall  not  stop 
to  explain  it.  Le  Bourdon  and  his  party  found  all  the 
south  shore  of  Lake  Erie  in  possession  of  the  Americans, 
so  far  as  it  was  in  the  possession  of  any  one,  and  conse 
quently  ran  no  risks  from  this  blunder  of  the  historian  and 
his  highly  intelligent  associates  ! 

Peter  and  Pigeonswing  left  their  friends  before  they 
reached  Presque  Isle.  The  bee-hunter  gave  them  his  own 
canoe,  and  the  parting  was  not  only  friendly,  but  touching. 
In  the  course  of  their  journey,  and  during  their  many  stops, 
Margery  had  frequently  prayed  with  the  great  chief.  His 
constant  and  burning  desire,  now,  was  to  learn  to  read, 
that  he  might  peruse  the  word  of  the  Great  Spirit,  and  re 
gulate  his  future  life  by  its  wisdom  and  tenets.  Margery 
promised,  should  they  ever  meet  again,  and  under  circum 
stances  favourable  to  such  a  design,  to  help  him  attain 
his  wishes. 

Pigeonswing  parted  from  his  friend  with  the  same  light- 
hearted  vivacity,  as  he  had  manifested  in  all  their  inter 
course.  Le  Bourdon  gave  him  his  own  rifle,  plenty  of  am 
munition,  and  various  other  small  articles  that  were  of 
value  to  an  Indian,  accepting  the  Chippewa's  arms  in  return. 
The  exchange,  however,  was  greatly  to  the  advantage  of 
the  savage.  As  for  Peter  he  declined  all  presents.  He 
carried  weapons  now,  indeed,  merely  for  the  purpose  of 
hunting;  but  the  dignity  of  his  character  and  station 
would  have  placed  him  above  such  compensations  had  the 
fact  been  otherwise. 


THE    OAK    OPENINGS.  443 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

Come  to  the  land  of  peace ! 
Come  where  the  tempest  hath  no  longer  sway, 
The  shadow  passes  from  the  soul  away 

The  sounds  of  weeping  cease. 

Fear  hath  no  dwelling  there ! 
Come  to  the  mingling  of  repose  and  love, 
Breathed  by  the  silent  spirit  of  the  dove, 

Through  the  celestial  air. 

MRS.  HEMAKS. 

IT  is  now  more  than  thirty-three  years  since  the  last  war 
with  the  English  terminated,  and  about  thirty-six  to  the 
summer  in  which  the  events  recorded  in  this  legend  oc 
curred.  This  third  of  a  century  has  been  a  period  of 
mighty  changes  in  America.  Ages  have  not  often  brought 
about  as  many  in  other  portions  of  the  earth,  as  this  short 
period  of  time  has  given  birth  to  among  ourselves.  We 
had  written,  thus  far,  on  the  evidence  of  documents  sent 
to  us,  when  an  occasion  offered  to  verify  the  truth  of  some 
of  our  pictures,  at  least,  by  means  of  personal  observation. 

Quitting  our  own  quiet  and  secluded  abode  in  the  moun- 
iains,  in  the  pleasant  month  of  June,  and  in  this  current 
year  of  1848,  we  descended  into  the  valley  of  the  Mohawk, 
got  into  the  cars,  and  went  flying  by  rails  towards  the  set 
ting  sun.  Well  could  we  remember  the  time  when  an  en 
ure  day  was  required  to  pass  between  that  point  on  the 
Mohawk  where  we  got  on  the  rails,  and  the  little  village 
of  Utica.  On  the  present  occasion,  we  flew  over  the  space 
in  less  than  three  hours,  and  dined  in  a  town  of  some 
fifteen  thousand  souls. 

We  reached  Buffalo,  at  the  foot  of  Lake  Erie,  in  about 
twenty  hours  after  we  had  entered  the  cars.  This  journey 
would  have  been  the  labour  of  more  than  a  week,  at  the 
time  in  which  the  scene  of  this  tale  occurred.  Now,  the 
whole  of  the  beautiful  region,  teeming  with  its  towns  and 
villages,  and  rich  with  the  fruits  of  a  bountiful  season,  was 


444  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

almost  brought  into  a  single  landscape  by  the  rapidity  of 
our  passage. 

At  Buffalo,  we  turned  aside  to  visit  the  cataract.  Thither, 
too,  we  went  on  rails.  Thirty-eight  years  had  passed  away 
since  we  had  laid  eyes  on  this  wonderful  fall  of  water.  In 
the  intervening  time  we  had  travelled  much,  and  had  visited 
many  of  the  renowned  falls  of  the  old  world,  to  say  nothing 
of  the  great  number  which  are  to  be  found  in  other  parts 
of  our  own  land.  Did  this  visit,  then,  produce  disappoint 
ment?  Did  time,  and  advancing  years,  and  feelings  that 
had  become  deadened  by  experience,  contribute  to  render 
the  view  less  striking,  less  grand,  in  any  way  less  pleasing 
than  we  had  hoped  to  find  it?  So  far  from  this,  all  our 
expectations  were  much  more  than  realized.  In  one  par 
ticular,  touching  which  we  do  not  remember  ever  to  have 
seen  anything  said,  we  were  actually  astonished  at  the 
surpassing  glory  of  Niagara.  It  was  the  character  of  sweet 
ness,  if  we  can  so  express  it,  that  glowed  over  the  entire 
aspect  of  the  scene.  We  were  less  struck  with  -the 
grandeur  of  this  cataract,  than  with  its  sublime  softness 
and  gentleness.  To  water  in  agitation,  use  had  so  long 
accustomed  us,  perhaps,  as  in  some  slight  degree  to  lessen 
the  feeling  of  awe  that  is  apt  to  come  over  the  novice  in 
such  scenes ;  but  we  at  once  felt  ourselves  attracted  by  the 
surpassing  loveliness  of  Niagara.  The  gulf  below  was 
more  imposing  than  we  had  expected  to  see  it,  but  it  was 
Italian  in  hue  and  softness,  arnid  its  wildriess  and  grandeur. 
Not  a  drop  of  the  water  that  fell  down  that  precipice  in 
spired  terror ;  for  everything  appeared  to  us  to  be  filled 
with  attraction  and  love.  Like  Italy  itself,  notwithstanding 
so  much  that  is  grand  and  imposing,  the  character  of  soft 
ness,  and  the  witchery  of  the  gentler  properties,  is  the 
power  we  should  ascribe  to  Niagara,  in  preference  to  that 
of  its  majesty.  We  think  this  feeling,  too,  is  more  general 
than  is  commonly  supposed,  for  we  find  those  who  dwell 
near  the  cataract  playing  around  it,  even  to  the  very  verge 
of  its  greatest  fall,  with  a  species  of  affection,  as  if  they 
.  had  the  fullest  confidence  in  its  rolling  waters.  Thus  it  is 
that  we  see  the  little  steamer,  the  Maid  of  the  Mists,  paddling 
up  quite  near  to  the  green  sheet  of  the  Horse-Shoe  itself 
and  gliding  down  in  the  current  of  the  vortex,  as  it  is  com- 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  445 

pelled  to  quit  the  eddies,  and  come  more  in  a  line  with  the 
main  course  of  the  stream.  Wires,  too,  are  suspended 
across  the  gulf  below,  and  men  pass  it  in  baskets.  It  is 
said  that  one  of  these  inventions  is  to  carry  human  beings 
over  the  main  fall,  so  that  the  adventurer  may  hang  sus 
pended  in  the  air,  directly  above  the  vortex.  In  this  way 
do  men,  and  even  women,  prove  their  love  for  the  place, 
all  of  which  we  impute  to  its  pervading  character  of  sweet 
ness  and  attraction. 

At  Buffalo  we  embarked  in  a  boat  under  the  English 
flag,  which  is  called  the  Canada.  This  shortened  our  pas 
sage  to  Detroit,  by  avoiding  all  the  stops  at  lateral  ports, 
and  we  had  every  reason  to  be  satisfied  with  our  selection. 
Boat,  commander,  and  the  attendance  were  such  as  would 
have  done  credit  to  any  portion  of  the  civilized  world. 
There  were  many  passengers,  a  motley  collection,  as  usual, 
from  all  parts  of  the  country. 

Our  attention  was  early  drawn  to  one  party,  by  the  sin 
gular  beauty  of  its  females.  They  seemed  to  us  to  be  a 
grandmother,  in  a  wrell-preserved,  green  old  age  ;  a  daugh 
ter,  but  a  matron  of  little  less  than  forty ;  and  two  ex 
ceedingly  pretty  girls  of  about  eighteen  and  sixteen,  whom 
we  took  to  be  children  of  the  last.'  The  strong  family  like 
ness  between  these  persons,  led  us  early  to  make  this  clas 
sification,  which  we  afterwards  found  was  correct. 

By  occasional  remarks,  I  gathered  that  the  girls  had 
been  to  an  "  eastern"  boarding-school,  that  particular  fea 
ture  in  civilization  not  yet  flourishing  in  the  north-western 
states.  It  seemed  to  us  that  we  could  trace  in  the  dialect 
of  the  several  members  of  this  family  the  gradations  and 
peculiarities  that  denote  the  origin  and  habits  of  individ 
uals.  Thus,  the  grandmother  was  not  quite  as  western  in 
her  forms  of  speech  as  her  matronly  daughter,  while  the 
grandchildren  evidently  spoke  under  the  influence  of 
boarding-school  correction,  or,  like  girls  who  had  been 
often  lectured  on  the  subject.  "  First  rate,"  and  "  Yes, 
sir"  and  "  That 's  a/ac^,"  were  often  in  the  mouth  of  the 
pleasing  mother,  and  even  the  grandmother  used  them  aD, 
though  not  as  often  as  her  daughter,  while  the  young  peo 
ple  looked  a  little  concerned,  and  surprised,  whenever  they 
came  out  of  the  mouth  of  their  frank-speaking  mother. 


446  THE     OAK    OPENINGS. 

That  these  persons  were  not  of  a  very  high  social  class 
was  evident  enough,  even  in  their  language.  There  was 
much  occasion  to  mention  New  York,  we  found,  and  they 
uniformly  called  it  "  the  city."  By  no  accident  did  either 
of  them  ever  happen  to  use  the  expression  that  she  had 
been  "  in  town,5'  as  one  of  us  would  be  apt  to  say.  "  He 's 
gone  to  the  city"  or  "  she  's  in  the  city"  are  awkward 
phrases,  and  taut  soil  pen  vulgar;  but  even  our  pretty 
young  boarding-school  eleves  would  use  them.  We  have 
a  horror  of  the  expression  "  city,"  and  are  a  little  fastidious, 
perhaps,  touching  its  use. 

But  these  little  peculiarities  were  spots  on  the  sun.  The 
entire  family,  taken  as  a  whole,  was  really  charming ;  and 
long  before  the  hour  for  retiring  came,  we  had  become 
much  interested  in  them  all.  We  found  there  was  a  fifth 
person  belonging  to  this  party,  who  did  not  make  his  ap 
pearance  that  night.  From  the  discourse  of  these  females, 
however,  it  was  easy  to  glean  the  following  leading  facts. 
This  fifth  person  was  a  male;  he  was  indisposed,  and  kep; 
his  berth  ;  and  he  was  quite  aged.  Several  nice  little 
dishes  were  carried  from  the  table  into  his  state-room  that 
evening,  by  one  or  the  other  of  the  young  sisters,  and  each 
of  the  party  appeared  anxious  to  contribute  to  the  invalid's 
comfort.  All  this  sympathy  excited  our  interest,  and  we 
had  some  curiosity  to  see  this  old  man,  long  ere  it  was  time 
to  retire.  As  for  the  females,  no  name  was  mentioned 
among  them  but  that  of  a  Mrs.  Osborne,  who  was  once  or 
twice  alluded  to,  in  full.  It  was  "  grand-ma,"  and  "  ma," 
and  "  Dolly,"  and  "  sis."  We  should  have  liked  it  better 
had  it  been  "  mother,"  and  "  grand-mother  ;"  and  that  the 
"sis"  had  been  called  Betsey  or  Molly;  but  we  do  not 
wish  to  be  understood  as  exhibiting  these  amiable  and 
good-looking  strangers  as  models  of  refinement.  "  Ma" 
and  "  sis"  did  well  enough,  all  things  considered,  though 
"  mamma"  would  have  been  better  if  they  were  not  suffi 
ciently  polished  to  say  "  mother." 

We  had  a  pleasant  night  of  it,  and  all  the  passengers 
appeared  next  morning  with  smiling  faces.  It  often  blows 
heavily  on  that  lake,  but  light  airs  off  the  land  were  all  the 
breezes  we  encountered.  We  were  among  the  first  to  turn 
out,  and  on  the  upper  deck  forward,  a  place  where  the 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  447 

passengers  are  fond  of  collecting,  as  it  enables  them  to  look 
ahead,  we  found  a  single  individual  who  immediately  drew 
all  of  our  attention  to  himself.  It  was  an  aged  man,  with 
hair  already  as  white  as  snow.  Still  there  was  that  in  his 
gait,  attitudes,  and  all  his  movements  which  indicated  phy 
sical  vigour,  not  to  say  the  remains,  at  least,  of  great  elasti 
city  and  sinewy  activity.  Aged  as  he  was,  and  he  must 
have  long  since  passed  his  fourscore  years,  his  form  was 
erect  as  that  of  a  youth.  In  stature,  he  was  of  rather  more 
than  middle  height,  and  in  movements,  deliberate  and  dig 
nified.  His  dress  was  quite  plain,  being  black,  and  accord 
ing  to  the  customs  of  the  day.  The  colour  of  his  face  and 
hands,  however,  as  well  as  the  bold  outlines  of  his  counte 
nance,  and  the  still  keen,  restless,  black  eye,  indicated  the 
Indian. 

Here,  then,  was  a  civilized  red  man,  and  it  struck  us, 
at  once,  that  he  was  an  ancient  child  of  the  forest,  who  had 
been  made  to  feel  the  truths  of  the  gospel.  One  seldom 
hesitates  about  addressing  an  Indian,  and  we  commenced 
a  discourse  with  our  venerable  fellow-passenger,  with  very 
little  circumlocution  or  ceremony. 

"  Good  morning,  sir,"  we  observed  —  "  a  charming  time 
we  have  of  it,  on  the  lake." 

"Yes  —  good  time — "  returned  my  red  neighbour, 
speaking  short  and  clipped,  like  an  Indian,  but  pronouncing 
his  words  as  if  long  accustomed  to  the  language. 

"  These  steam-boats  are  great  inventions  for  the  western 
lakes,  as  are  the  railroads  for  this  vast  inland  region.  I 
dare  say,  you  can  remember  Lake  Erie  when  it  was  an 
unusual  thing  to  see  a  sail  of  any  sort  on  it ;  and  now,  I 
should  think,  we  might  count  fifty." 

"  Yes — great  change — great  change,  friend! — all  change 
from  ole  time." 

"  The  traditions  of  your  people,  no  doubt,  give  you  rea 
son  to  see  and  feel  all  this?" 

The  predominant  expression  of  this  red  man's  counte 
nance  was  that  of  love.  On  everything,  on  every  human 
being  towards  whom  he  turned  his  still  expressive  eyes,  the 
ooks  he  gave  them  would  seem  to  indicate  interest  and  af 
fection.  This  expression  was  so  decided  and  peculiar,  that 
we  early  remarked  it,  and  it  drew  us  closer  and  closer  at 


448  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

the  old  chief^  the  longer  we  remained  in  his  company. 
That  expression,  however,  slightly  changed  when  we  made 
this  allusion  to  the  traditions  of  his  people,  and  a  cloud 
passed  before  his  countenance.  This  change,  nevertheless, 
was  as  transient  as  it  was  sudden,  the  benevolent  and 
gentle  look  returning  almost  as  soon  as  it  had  disappear 
ed.  He  seemed  anxious  to  atone  for  this  involuntary 
expression  of  regrets  for  the  past,  by  making  his  commu 
nications  to  me  as  free  as  they  could  be. 

"  My  tradition  say  a  great  deal,"  was  the  answer.  "  It 
say  some  good,  some  bad." 

"  May  I  ask  of  what  tribe  you  are  f 

The  red  man  turned  his  eyes  on  us  kindly,  as  if  to  lessen 
any  thing  ungracious  there  might  be  in  his  refusal  to  an 
swer,  and  with  an  expression  of  benevolence  that  we 
scarcely  remember  ever  to  have  seen  equalled.  Indeed, 
we  might  say  with  truth,  that  the  love  which  shone  out  of 
this  old  man's  countenance  habitually,  surpassed  that  which 
we  can  recal  as  belonging  to  any  other  human  face.  He 
seemed  to  be  at  peace  with  himself,  and  with  all  the  other 
children  of  Adam. 

"  Tribe  make  no  difference,"  he  answered.  "  All  chil 
dren  of  same  Great  Spirit." 

"  Eed  men  and  pale-faces  f  I  asked,  not  a  little  sur 
prised  with  his  reply. 

"  Red  man  and  pale-face.  Christ  die  for  all,  and  his 
Fadder  make  all.  No  difference,  excep'  in  colour.  Colour 
only  skin  deep." 

"  Do  you  then  look  on  us  pale-faces  as  having  a  right 
here  ?  Do  you  not  regard  us  as  invaders,  as  enemies  who 
have  come  to  take  away  your  lands  ?" 

"  Injin  don't  own  'arth.  'Arth  belong  to  God,  and  he 
send  whom  he  like  to  live  on  it.  One  time  he  send  Injin ; 
now  he  send  pale-face.  His  'arth,  and  he  do  what  he 
please  wid  it.  Nobody  any  right  to  complain.  Bad  to  find 
fault  wid  Great  Spirit.  All  he  do,  right ;  nebber  do  any 
t'ing  bad.  His  blessed  Son  die  for  all  colour,  and  all 
colour  muss  bow  down  at  his  holy  name.  Dat  what  dis 
good  book  say,"  showing  a  small  pocket  Bible,  "  and  what 
dis  good  book  say  come  from  Great  Spirit,  himself." 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  449 

••  You  read  the  Holy  Scriptures,  then — you  are  an  edu 
Rated  Indian?" 

"No;  can't  read  at  all.  Don't  know  how.  Try  hard, 
but  too  ole  to  begin.  Got  young  eyes,  however,  to  help 
me,"  he  added,  with  one  of  the  fondest  smiles  I  ever  saw 
light  a  human  face,  as  he  turned  to  meet  the  pretty  Dolly's 
"  good  morning,  Peter,"  and  to  shake  the  hand  of  the  elder 
Bister.  "  She  read  good  book  for  old  Injin,  when  he  want 
her ;  and  when  she  off  at  school,  in  '  city,'  den  her  mudder, 
or  her  gran'mudder  read  for  him.  Fuss  begin  wid  gran'- 
mudder  ;  now  got  down  to  gran'-da'ghter.  But  good  book 
all  de  same,  let  who  will  read  it." 

This,  then,  was  "  Scalping  Peter,"  the  very  man  I  was 
travelling  into  Michigan  to  see,  but  how  wonderfully 
changed !  The  Spirit  of  the  Most  High  God  had  been 
shed  freely  upon  his  moral  being,  and  in  lieu  of  the  re 
vengeful  and  vindictive  savage,  he  now  lived  a  subdued, 
benevolent  Christian !  In  every  human  being  he  beheld 
a  brother,  and  no  longer  thought  of  destroying  races,  in 
order  to  secure  to  his  own  people  the  quiet  possession  of 
their  hunting-grounds.  His  very  soul  was  !ove ;  and  no 
doubt  he  felt  himself  strong  enough  to  "  bless  those  who 
cursed  him,"  and  to  give  up  his  spirit,  like  the  good  mis 
sionary  whose  death  had  first  turned  him  toward  the  wor 
ship  of  the  one  true  God,  praying  for  those  who  took  his 
life. 

The  ways  of  Divine  Providence  are  past  the  investiga 
tions  of  human  reason.  How  often,  in  turning  over  the 
pages  of  history,  do  we  find  civilization,  the  arts,  moral  im 
provement,  nay,  Christianity  itself,  following  the  bloody 
train  left  by  the  conqueror's  car,  and  good  pouring  in 
upon  a  nation  by  avenues  that  at  first  were  teeming  only 
with  the  approaches  of  seeming  evils  !  In  this  way,  there 
is  now  reason  to  hope  that  America  is  about  to  pay  the 
debt  she  owes  to  Africa  ;  and  in  this  way  will  the  invasion 
of  the  forests,  and  prairies,  and  "  openings,"  of  the  red 
man  be  made  to  atone  for  itself  by  carrying  with  it  the 
blessings  of  the  Gospel,  and  a  juster  view  of  the  relations 
which  man  bears  to  his  Creator.  Possibly  Mexico  may 
derive  lasting  benefit  from  the  hard  lesson  that  she  has  so 
recently  been  made  to  endure. 
38* 


150  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

This,  then,  was  Peter,  changed  into  a  civilized  man  and 
a  Christian  !  I  have  found,  subsequently,  that  glimmerings 
of  the  former  being  existed  in  his  character ;  but  they 
showed  themselves  only  at  long  intervals,  and  under  very 
peculiar  circumstances.  The  study  of  these  traits  became 
a  subject  of  great  interest  with  us,  for  we  now  travelled  in 
company  the  rest  of  our  journey.  The  elder  lady,  or 
"grand-ma,"  was  the  Margery  of  our  tale;  still  handsome, 
spirited  and  kind.  The  younger  matron  was  her  daughter, 
and  only  child,  and  "  Sis,"  another  Margery,  and  Doro 
thy,  were  her  grand-children.  There  was  also  a  son,  or  a 
grandson  rather,  Ben,  who  was  on  Prairie  Round,  "  with 
the  general."  The  "general"  was  our  old  friend,  le 
Bourdon,  who  was  still  as  often  called  "  general  Bourdon,' 
as  "  General  Boden."  This  matter  of  "  generals"  at  the 
West,  is  a  little  overdone,  as  all  ranks  and  titles  are  some 
what  apt  to  be  in  new  countries.  It  causes  one  often  to 
smile,  at  the  east ;  and  no  wonder  that  an  eastern  habii 
should  go  down  in  all  its  glory,  beneath  the  "  setting  sun.' 
In  after  days,  generals  will  not  be  quite  as  "  plenty  at 
blackberries." 

No  sooner  did  Mrs.  Boden,  or  Margery,  to  use  her 
familiar  name,  learn  that  we  were  the  very  individual  to 
whom  the  "  general"  had  sent  the  notes  relative  to  his 
early  adventures,  which  had  been  prepared  by  the  "  Rev 
Mr.  Varse,"  of  Kalamazoo,  than  she  became  as  friendl) 
and  communicative  as  we  could  possibly  desire. 

Her  own  life  had  been  prosperous,  and  her  marriage 
happy.  Her  brother,  however,  had  fallen  back  into  his 
old  habits,  and  died  ere  the  war  of  1812  was  ended.  Do 
rothy  had  returned  to  her  friends  in  Massachusetts,  and 
was  still  living,  in  a  comfortable  condition,  owing  to  a 
legacy  from  an  uncle.  The  bee-hunter  had  taken  the  field 
in  that  war,  and  had  seen  some  sharp  fighting  on  the  banks 
of  the  Niagara.  No  sooner  was  peace  made,  however, 
than  he  returned  to  his  beloved  Openings,  where  he  had 
remained,  "  growing  with  the  country,"  as  it  is  termed, 
until  he  was  now  what  is  deemed  a  rich  man  in  Michigan. 
He  has  a  plenty  of  land,  and  that  which  is  good ;  a  re 
spectable  dwelling,  and  is  out  of  debt.  He  meets  hia 
obligations  to  an  eastern  man  just  as  promptly  as  he  meets 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  451 

those  contracted  at  home,  and  regards  the  United  States, 
and  not  Michigan,  as  his  country.  All  these  were  good 
traits,  and  we  were  glad  to  learn  that  they  existed  in  one 
who  already  possessed  so  much  of  our  esteem.  At  De 
troit  we  found  a  fine  flourishing  town,  of  a  healthful  and 
natural  growth,  and  with  a  population  that  was  fast  ap 
proaching  twenty  thousand.  The  shores  of  the  beautiful 
strait  on  which  it  stands,  and  which,  by  a  strange 
blending  of  significations  and  languages,  is  popularly  called 
the  "  Detroit  River,"  were  alive  with  men  and  their  appli 
ances,  and  we  scarce  know  where  to  turn  to  find  a  more 
agreeable  landscape  than  that  which  was  presented  to  us, 
after  passing  the  island  of  "  Bobolo"  (Bois  Blanc),  near 
Maiden.  Altogether,  it  resembled  a  miniature  picture  of 
Constantinople,  without  its  eastern  peculiarities. 

At  Detroit  commenced  our  surprise  at  the  rapid  progress 
of  western  civilization.  It  will  be  remembered  that  at  the 
period  of  our  tale,  the  environs  of  Detroit  excepted,  the 
whole  peninsula  of  Michigan  lay  in  a  state  of  nature 
Nor  did  the  process  of  settlement  commence  actively  until 
about  twenty  years  since ;  but,  owing  to  the  character  of 
the  country,  it  already  possesses  many  of  the  better  features 
of  a  long  inhabited  region.  There  are  stumps,  of  course 
for  new  fields  are  constantly  coining  into  cultivation ;  but 
on  the  whole,  the  appearance  is  that  of  a  middle-aged 
rather  than  that  of  a  new  region. 

We  left  Detroit  on  a  railroad,  rattling  away  towards  the 
Betting  sun,  at  a  good  speed  even  for  that  mode  of  convey 
ance.  It  seemed  to  us  that  our  route  was  well  garnished 
with  large  villages,  of  which  we  must  have  passed  through 
a  dozen,  in  the  course  of  a  few  hours  "  railing."  These 
are  places  varying  in  size  from  one  to  three  thousand  in 
habitants.  The  vegetation  certainly  surpassed  that  of  even 
western  New  York,  the  trees  alone  excepted.  The  whole 
country  was  a  wheat-field,  and  we  now  began  to  understand 
how  America  could  feed  the  world.  Our  road  lay  among 
the  "  Openings"  much  of  the  way,  and  we  found  them 
undergoing  the  changes  which  are  incident  to  the  passage 
of  civilized  men.  As  the  periodical  fires  had  now  ceased 
for  many  years,  underbrush  was  growing  in  lieu  of  the 
natural  grass,  and  in  so  much  those  groves  are  less  attractive 


452  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

than  formerly ;  but  one  easily  comprehends  the  reason, 
and  can  picture  to  himself  the  aspect  that  these  pleasant 
woods  must  have  worn  in  times  of  old. 

We  left  the  railroad  at  Kalamazoo,  an  unusually  pretty 
village,  on  the  banks  of  the  stream  of  that  name.  Those 
who  laid  out  this  place,  some  fifteen  years  since,  had  the 
taste  to  preserve  most  of  its  trees,  and  the  houses  and 
grounds  that  stand  a  little  apart  from  the  busiest  streets, 
and  they  are  numerous  for  a  p.'iacc  of  rather  more  than  two 
thousand  souls,  are  particularly  pleasant  to  the  eye,  on 
account  of  the  shade,  and  the  rural  pictures  they  present. 
Here  Mrs.  Boden  told  us  we  were  within  a  mile  or  two  of 
the  very  spot  where  once  had  stood  Castle  Meal  (Chateau 
au  Miel),  though  the  "  general"  had  finally  established 
himself  at  Schoolcraft,  on  Prairie  Ronde. 

The  first  prairie  we  had  ever  seen  was  on  the  road  be 
tween  Detroit  and  Kalamazoo;  distant  from  the  latter  place 
only  some  eight  or  nine  miles.  The  axe  had  laid  the  country 
open  in  its  neighbourhood  ;  but  the  spot  was  easily  to  be  re 
cognised  by  the  air  of  cultivation  and  age  that  pervaded  it. 
There  was  not  a  stump  on  it,  and  the  fields  were  as  smooth 
as  any  on  the  plains  of  Lombardy,  and  far  more  fertile, 
rich  as  the  last  are  known  to  be.  In  a  word,  the  beautiful 
perfection  of  that  little  natural  meadow  became  apparent 
at  once,  though  seated  amid  a  landscape  that  was  by  no 
means  wanting  in  interest  of  its  own. 

We  passed  the  night  at  the  village  of  Kalamazoo;  but 
the  party  of  females,  with  old  Peter,  proceeded  on  to  Prairie 
Round,  as  that  particular  part  of  the  country  is  called  in 
the  dialect  of  Michigan,  it  being  a  corruption  of  the  old 
French  name  of  la  prairie  ronde.  The  Round  Meadow 
does  not  sound  as  well  as  Prairie  Round,  and  the  last  being 
quite  as  clear  a  term  as  the  other,  though  a  mixture  of  the 
two  languages,  we  prefer  to  use  it.  Indeed,  the  word 
"  Prairie"  may  now  be  said  to  be  adopted  into  the  English ; 
meaning  merely  a  natural,  instead  of  an  artificial  meadow, 
though  one  of  peculiar  and  local  characteristics.  We 
wrote  a  note  to  General  Boden,  as  I  found  our  old  acquaint 
ance  Ben  Boden  was  universally  termed,  letting  him  know 
I  should  visit  Schoolcraft  next  day ;  not  wishing  to  intrude 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  453 

at  the  moment  when  that  charming  family  was  just  reunited 
after  so  long  a  separation. 

The  next  day,  accordingly,  we  got  into  a  "  buggy"  and 
went  our  way.  The  road  was  slightly  sandy  a  good  part 
of  the  twelve  miles  we  had  to  travel,  though  it  became 
less  so  as  we  drew  near  to  the  celebrated  prairie.  And 
celebrated,  and  that  by  an  abler  pen  than  ours,  does  thia 
remarkable  place  deserve  to  be !  We  found  all  our  ex 
pectations  concerning  it  fully  realized,  and  drove  through 
the  scene  of  abundance  it  presented  with  an  admiration 
that  was  not  entirely  free  from  awe. 

To  get  an  idea  of  Prairie  Round,  the  reader  must 
imagine  an  oval  plain  of  some  five  and  twenty  or  thirty 
thousand  acres  in  extent,  of  the  most  surpassing  fertility, 
without  an  eminence  of  any  sort ;  almost  without  an  in 
equality.  There  are  a  few  small  cavities,  however,  in 
which  there  are  springs  that  form  large  pools  of  water  that 
the  cattle  will  drink.  This  plain,  so  far  as  we  saw  it,  is 
now  entirely  fenced  and  cultivated.  The  fields  are  large, 
many  containing  eighty  acres,  and  some  one  hundred  and 
sixty ;  most  of  them  being  in  wheat.  We  saw  several  of 
this  size  in  that  grain.  Farm-houses  dotted  the  surface, 
with  barns  and  the  other  accessories  of  rural  life.  In  the 
centre  of  the  prairie  is  an  "  island"  of  forest,  containing 
some  five  or  six  hundred  acres  of  the  noblest  native  trees 
we  remember  ever  to  have  seen.  In  the  centre  of  this 
wood  is  a  little  lake,  circular  in  shape,  arid  exceeding  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  in  diameter.  The  walk  in  this  wood, 
which  is  not  an  Opening,  but  an  old-fashioned  virgin  forest, 
we  found  delightful  of  a  warm  summer's  day.  One  thing 
that  we  saw  in  it  was  characteristic  of  the  country.  Some 
of  the  nearest  farmers  had  drawn  their  manure  into  it, 
where  it  lay  in  large  piles,  in  order  to  get  it  out  of  the  way 
of  doing  any  mischief.  Its  effect  on  the  land,  it  was 
thought,  would  be  to  bring  too  much  straw ! 

On  one  side  of  this  island  of  wood  lies  the  little  village, 
or  large  hamlet  of  Schoolcraft.  Here  we  were  most 
cordially  welcomed  by  General  Boden,  and  all  of  his  fine 
descendants.  The  head  of  this  family  is  approaching 
seventy,  but  is  still  hale  and  hearty.  His  head  is  as  white 
as  snow,  and  his  face  as  red  as  a  cherry.  A  finer  old  man 


454  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

one  seldom  sees.  Temperance,  activity,  the  open  air  and 
a  good  conscience,  have  left  him  a  noble  ruin;  if  ruin  he 
can  yet  be  called.  He  owes  the  last  blessing,  as  he  told  us 
himself,  to  the  fact  that  he  kept  clear  of  the  whirlwind  of 
speculation  that  passed  over  this  region  some  ten  or  fifteen 
years  since.  His  means  are  ample,  and  the  harvest  being 
about  to  commence,  he  invited  me  to  the  field. 

The  peculiar  ingenuity  of  the  American  has  supplied 
the  want  of  labourers,  in  a  country  where  agriculture  w 
carried  on  by  wholesale,  especially  in  the  cereals,  by  an 
instrument  of  the  most  singular  and  elaborate  construciion. 
This  machine  is  drawn  by  sixteen  or  eighteen  horses, 
attached  to  it  laterally,  so  as  to  work  clear  of  the  standing 
grain,  and  who  move  the  whole  fabric  on  a  moderate  but 
steady  walk.  A  path  is  first  cut  with  the  cradle  on  one 
side  of  the  field,  when  the  machine  is  dragged  into  the 
open  place.  Here  it  enters  the  standing  grain,  cutting  off 
its  heads  with  the  utmost  accuracy  as  it  moves.  Forks 
beneath  prepare  the  way,  and  a  rapid  vibratory  motion  of  a 
great  number  of  two-edged  knives,  effect  the  object.  The 
stalks  of  the  grain  can  be  cut  as  low,  or  as  high  as  one 
pleases,  but  it  is  usually  thought  best  to  take  only  the 
heads.  Afterwards  the  standing  straw  is  burned,  or  fed 
off,  upright. 

The  impelling  power  which  causes  the  great  fabric  to 
advance,  also  sets  in  motion  the  machinery  within  it.  As 
soon  as  the  heads  of  the  grain  are  severed  from  the  stalks, 
they  pass  into  a  receptacle  where,  by  a  very  quick  and  sim 
ple  process,  the  kernels  are  separated  from  the  husks, 
'['hence  all  goes  into  a  fanning  machine,  where  the  chaff 
is  blown  away.  The  clean  grain  falls  into  a  small  bin, 
whence  it  is  raised  by  a  screw  e4evator  to  a  height  that 
enables  it  to  pass  out  at  an  opening  to  which  a  bag  is  at 
tached.  Wagons  follow  the  slow  march  of  the  machine, 
and  the  proper  number  of  men  are  in  attendance.  Bag 
after  bag  is  renewed,  until  a  wagon  is  loaded,  when  it  at 
once  proceeds  to  the  mill,  where  the  grain  is  soon  converted 
into  flour.  Generally  the  husbandman  sells  to  the  miller; 
but  occasionally  he  pays  for  making  the  flour,  and  sends 
the  latter  off,  by  railroad,  to  Detroit,  whence  it  finds  its 
way  to  Europe,  possibly,  to  hdp  feed  the  millions  of  the 


THE     OAK     OPENINGS.  455 

oU  world.  Such,  at  least,  was  the  course  of  trade  the  past 
season.  As  respects  this  ingenious  machine,  it  remains 
only  to  say  that  it  harvests,  cleans,  and  bags  from  twenty 
to  thirty  acres  of  heavy  wheat,  in  the  course  of  a  single 
summer's  day  !  Altogether  it  is  a  gigantic  invention,  well 
adapted  to  meet  the  necessities  of  a  gigantic  country. 

Old  Peter  went  afield  with  us  that  day.  There  he  stood, 
like  a  striking  monument  of  a  past  that  was  still  so  recent 
and  wonderful.  On  that  very  prairie,  which  was  now 
teeming  with  the  appliances  of  civilization,  he  had  hunted 
and  held  his  savage  councils.  On  that  prairie  had  he 
meditated,  or  consented  to  the  deaths  of  the  young  couple, 
whose  descendants  were  now  dwelling  there,  amid  abun 
dance,  and  happy.  Nothing  but  the  prayers  of  the  dying 
missionary,  in  behalf  of  his  destroyers,  had  prevented  the 
dire  consummation. 

We  were  still  in  the  field,  when  General  Boden's  atten 
tion  was  drawn  towards  the  person  of  another  guest.  This, 
too,  was  an  Indian,  old  like  himself,  but  not  clad  like  Peter, 
in  the  vestments  of  the  whites.  The  attire  of  this  sinewy 
old  man  was  a  mixture  of  that  of  the  two  races.  He  wore 
a  hunting-shirt,  moccasins,  and  a  belt ;  but  he  also  wore 
trowsers,  and  otherwise  had  brought  himself  within  the 
habits  of  conventional  decency.  It  was  Pigeonswing,  the 
Chippewa,  come  to  pay  his  annual  visit  to  his  friend,  the 
bee-hunter.  The  meeting  was  cordial,  and  we  afterwards 
ascertained  that  when  the  old  man  departed,  he  went  away 
loaded  with  gifts  that  would  render  him  comfortable  for  a 
twelvemonth. 

But  Peter,  after  all,  was  the  great  centre  of  interest  with 
us.  We  could  admire  the  General's  bee-hives,  which  were 
numerous  and  ingenious;  could  admire  his  still  handsome 
Margery,  and  all  their  blooming  descendants ;  and  were 
glad  when  we  discovered  that  our  old  friend — made  so  by 
means  of  a  knowledge  of  his  character,  if  not  by  actual  ac 
quaintance — was  much  improved  in  mind,  was  a  sincere 
Christian,  and  had  been  a  Senator  of  his  own  State ;  re 
spected  and  esteemed  by  all  who  knew  him.  Such  a  ca 
reer,  however,  has  nothing  peculiar  in  America;  it  is  one 
of  every-day  occurrence;  and  shows  the  power  of  man 
when  left  free  to  make  his  own  exertions  ;  while  that  of  the 


456  THE     OAK     OPENINGS. 

Scalping  Peter  indicated  the  power  of  God.  There  he  was, 
living  in  the  midst  of  the  hated  race,  loving  and  beloved ; 
wishing  naught  but  blessings  on  all  colours  alike ;  looking 
back  upon  his  traditions  and  superstitions  with  a  sort  of 
melancholy  interest,  as  we  all  portray  in  our  memories  the 
scenes,  legends,  and  feelings  of  an  erring  childhood. 

We  were  walking  in  the  garden,  after  dinner,  and  look 
ing  at  the  hives.  There  were  the  General,  Margery,  Peter, 
and  ourselves.  The  first  was  loud  in  praise  of  his  buzzing 
friends,  for  whom  it  was  plain  he  still  entertained  a  lively 
regard.  The  old  Indian,  at  first,  was  sad.  Then  he  smiled, 
and,  turning  to  us,  he  spoke  earnestly  and  with  some  of 
his  ancient  fire  and  eloquence. 

"Tell  me  you  make  a  book,"  he  said.  "In  dat  book 
tell  trut'.  You  see  me — poor  ole  Injin.  My  fadder  was 
chief — I  was  great  chief,  but  we  was  children.  Knowed 
nuttin'.  Like  little  child,  dough  great  chief.  Believe 
tradition.  T'ink  dis  'arth  flat — t'ink  Injin  could  scalp  all 
pale-face — t'ink  tomahawk,  and  war-path,  and  rifle,  bess 
t'ings  in  whole  world.  In  dat  day,  my  heart  was  stone. 
Afraid  of  Great  Spirit,  but  did  n't  love  Him.  In  dat  time 
I  t'ink  General  could  talk  wid  bee.  Yes;  was  very  fool 
ish  den.  Now,  all  dem  cloud  blow  away,  and  I  see  my 
Fadder  dat  is  in  Heaven.  His  face  shine  on  me,  day 
and  night,  and  I  never  get  tired  of  looking  at  it.  I  see 
Him  smile,  I  see  Him  lookin'  at  poor  ole  Injin,  as  if  he 
want  him  to  come  nearer;  sometime  I  see  Him  frown, 
and  dat  scare  me.  Den  I  pray,  and  his  frown  go  away. 

"  Stranger,  love  God.  B''lieve  his  Blessed  Son,  who 
pray  for  dem  dat  kill  Him.  Injin  don't  do  dat.  Injin  not 
strong  enough  to  do  so  good  t'ing.  It  want  de  Holy  Spirit 
to  strengthen  de  heart,  afore  man  can  do  so  great  t'ing. 
When  he  got  de  force  of  de  Holy  Spirit,  de  heart  of  stone 
is  changed  to  de  heart  of  woman,  and  we  all  be  ready  to 
bless  our  enemy  and  die.  I  have  spoken.  Let  dem  dat 
read  your  book  understand.' 

THE    END. 


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